It looks like your typical grocery store, but when it comes to checking out - families won’t have to pay like at other places.
The With God’s Grace Free Grocery Store sits on North Dixie in place of the old Cash Loans on Car Titles building.
“We always wanted to know why our families were having to come and needed the help and we always wanted to be able to give them a hand up. Not a hand out.” said Nicole Adkins.
Executive director and owner, Nicole Adkins told News Center 7 it’s all part of With God’s Grace Mobile Food Pantry’s continuing efforts to decrease food insecurities.
Last year, With God’s Grace gave out more than 940,000 meals through their programs. Right now the feeds more than 2,000 people every week.
“They make the appointment. They have to bring in a photo I.D. of each adult that is in their household.” said Adkins. “They have to bring in the birth certificate of each child and then a recent utility bill in the last thirty days that has the current address on it.”
Adkins said she hopes the free grocery store can help extend their mission of ending hunger in the Miami Valley even further.
Each family will get help through the pantry’s step up program to help address their needs directly.
“The program is set and designed, as they are limited how much they can have for their families, and they go through the program to get their food plus their resources. This isn’t just walking in and walking out.” said Adkins.
Through the program, families can shop once a week. Families are walked through a food catalog to make sure they are getting the proper nutrition.
Adkins says their mission is to be around for years to come. Helping to building the community back up one customer at a time.
“The free grocery is here to help the families become self-sufficient and to give them the dignity that they need to be able to move forward with their hard ship.” said Adkins.
To set up an appointment for the free grocery and find out more about program, you can visit www.withgodsgracepantry.org