Presentation Title
Keywords
Partnership, Economic development, Food desert, Non-profit, Grants, Community relations
Description
On January 19, 2018, Cowley County was contacted by a representative from Sunflower Foundation with an amazing opportunity. The funder had been in contact with Honor Capital, LLC, a veteran-owned private equity firm with the mission to build and operate grocery stores in underserved areas.
While much of their work has been in urban settings, Honor Capital, LLC has a desire to tackle the very unique challenge of RURAL food deserts. They recently received funding from out of state to pilot the concept of a mobile grocery truck in rural Kansas. They wish to use the recently built Save-a-Lot store in Winfield to service surrounding towns without grocery stores. Sunflower Foundation offered to provide a grant to a local non-profit that might support the role of grocery/healthy food liaisons (paid positions) in the small communities where the truck wishes to stop. The liaisons would serve as a critical connector between the grocery store and the residents – surveying community wants/needs, figuring out best ordering system for people, promoting and publicizing the grocery truck with all forms of media including coffee shop talk and social media, perhaps even figuring out healthy food cooking demos or innovative ideas like pre-packaged meal boxes.
Of critical importance is the work of local champions. How can rural communities mobilize themselves to be ready? Partnerships are key as well as the willingness to try, fail and persevere.
This project reflects how strengthening communities with strong partnerships can lead to strengthened health for communities. This presentation emphasizes the importance of partnerships and being willing to try, fail and persevere. Cowley County shares data about its rural communities and existing community partnerships to help support this project.
Residents in rural communities accept that they have to leave their community for many consumer goods and services. The concept of a mobile rural grocery store model strengthens communities and strengthens health.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Mobile Grocery Stores for Rural Communities
On January 19, 2018, Cowley County was contacted by a representative from Sunflower Foundation with an amazing opportunity. The funder had been in contact with Honor Capital, LLC, a veteran-owned private equity firm with the mission to build and operate grocery stores in underserved areas.
While much of their work has been in urban settings, Honor Capital, LLC has a desire to tackle the very unique challenge of RURAL food deserts. They recently received funding from out of state to pilot the concept of a mobile grocery truck in rural Kansas. They wish to use the recently built Save-a-Lot store in Winfield to service surrounding towns without grocery stores. Sunflower Foundation offered to provide a grant to a local non-profit that might support the role of grocery/healthy food liaisons (paid positions) in the small communities where the truck wishes to stop. The liaisons would serve as a critical connector between the grocery store and the residents – surveying community wants/needs, figuring out best ordering system for people, promoting and publicizing the grocery truck with all forms of media including coffee shop talk and social media, perhaps even figuring out healthy food cooking demos or innovative ideas like pre-packaged meal boxes.
Of critical importance is the work of local champions. How can rural communities mobilize themselves to be ready? Partnerships are key as well as the willingness to try, fail and persevere.
This project reflects how strengthening communities with strong partnerships can lead to strengthened health for communities. This presentation emphasizes the importance of partnerships and being willing to try, fail and persevere. Cowley County shares data about its rural communities and existing community partnerships to help support this project.
Residents in rural communities accept that they have to leave their community for many consumer goods and services. The concept of a mobile rural grocery store model strengthens communities and strengthens health.
