Gas stations and corner stores dot the landscape of Orlando's Parramore neighborhood. Driving around, what's clearly missing is an actual grocery store. The area is considered a food desert where residents have limited access to healthy, affordable food.
Food drives and emergency distributions have helped, but a new micro grocery store is taking a different approach. Jennifer Hilaire is the founder of The Desire Foundation, the nonprofit behind the Parramore Market.
“Everyone who has ever been to Parramore knows that there are no grocery stores around,” said Hilaire. “How does someone live in an area like here in Orlando and you don't have a grocery store nearby and you don't have a car? What do you do? How do you survive?”
Inside the Parramore Market, it looks like a small grocery store. Aisles are organized by items. There’s a cooler room with refrigerators and freezers.
There is one major difference between Parramore Market and a typical grocery store.
“You're not actually paying for these items, so actually the food is free,” Hilaire said.
How is free sustainable?
Customers do not have to prove they need assistance. Anyone can register online to get a Parramore Market card.
“You just put your information into our system, and then that system generates a card for you, and then you use that card like you're going to Costco,” she explained.
The card also helps the nonprofit keep track of their service and report to grant providers.
“We do get grants, we get federal funding, we get local funding, we apply for any and every grant that we're able to,” she said.
There are plans for a small business program that would allow the nonprofit to partner with businesses that want to sell their products in the store to help offset costs. Hilaire says the goal is to use a light retail model combining donated food with products sold by local businesses.
In addition to putting food on the shelves, the market is about giving people choice, consistency, and dignity.
“We want people to remember how they felt coming here,” she said. “I just want for a minute, for 10 minutes of you being in the store shopping, it's the best experience that you had today.”
In addition to traditional groceries, there is a fill station in the store where shoppers can use containers to take home items such as nuts, sugar, and flour that’s bought in bulk.
The station also has household products including detergent, soap, and cleaning supplies.
Families will have access to diapers, wipes, formula, and baby food.
Preparing to open
The market is still being stocked. For now, the shelves contain mostly donated items, including canned goods, oatmeal, and peanut butter. More products are expected to be added as the opening approaches.
The Desire Foundation is waiting for final inspections before opening Parramore Market in the next couple of weeks.
“I can't wait to open the doors for people to come and get food so that they can feed their family with dignity and care,” said Hilaire. “I'm just happy that I had the idea and that I saw it through, honestly. It's a great feeling.
