 "Photo: Josh Shannon")
In a time when the price of food has skyrocketed and many people, from low-income families to college students, are looking for a bargain, the Food Bank of Delaware has found a way to offer affordable prices with their newest program, The Market.
The Market is the Food Bank's version of a discount grocery store. It takes household staples that may be dented or dinged, yet still meet USDA regulations, and sells them at a discounted price. Such items include milk, cereal, eggs, cleaning supplies and pet supplies.
The Market is open to the general public as a way to make affordable food available to everyone during an economic slump, not on an income-eligibility basis.
Patricia Beebe, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Delaware, said The Market was inspired in part by the poor economy.
"What's happening to people is they are losing jobs, as well as their homes, or having trouble with mortgages - energy prices are going up," she said. "The price of food is going up when more and more people need food assistance."
Kim Kostes, community relations manager for the Food Bank of Delaware, said the response from the public has been great so far because many are surprised at how much money they are able to save.
"The inventory varies week by week because of how the loads come in from our distributors," she said. "It is really an adventure for people to come out and see what we have each week."
The food comes from distributors like Kmart and Target that can no longer sell the items because of dents or dings to the outer covering, but serve no real threat to the quality of the food, Kostes said.
"A box may be dented or banged up, or opened, yet the bag inside is not harmed," she said.
The Market looks like an average grocery store, located in the left corner of the Food Bank's warehouse. It is sectioned off and organized into aisles.
A small refrigerator with produce and dairy is located next to the cash register where a cashier helps customers load their groceries into boxes they bring.
"We're not a replacement for grocery stores," Kostes said. "We're just supplementing people's money that they would spend at the grocery store."
Although currently in operation in Newark, the Food Bank hopes to open a market in Wilmington as well, Beebe said.
"There is a new grocery store being built there, but the need is so great that our goal is to find a location and bring it out to the inner city for those people and families to use," she said.
The Food Bank is going on a capital campaign to expand its operation in Milford, as well, Beebe said.
"Everyone just thinks this is a win-win situation all the way around," she said.
So far in Newark, business has been promising, Beebe said.
"We're still working out the suppliers' glitch, but we're very pleased," she said. "We're working out just the general glitches of how to operate.
"We're just looking at squeezing it, how much, what is our cost going to be and what's the best way to run this."
Pam Cummings, hotel, restaurant and institutional management professor, said she frequently shops at The Market because it is a way to pick up good bargains.
"It seems that although the FBD has grown in their accomplishments, they can barely keep up with the problems of hunger in Delaware and the surrounding areas," she said. "The state of the economy has had a huge effect on the poor and more people are finding themselves turning to the Food Bank of Delaware for help, in spite of the fact that they may have full-time employment. These are not simple times."
The Market is a win-win situation, Cummings said.
"You get good deals and they make a little more money from food that regular grocery stores won't sell," she said. "The proceeds go back into their operations for getting more food to those in need."
Cummings said she plans to make The Market in Newark a regular stop on her grocery shopping days.
"Everyone loves a bargain," she said.
Due to The Market's close proximity to campus, it is a prime place for college students to shop, Beebe said.
"I really think there are a lot of students that are on a budget that could benefit from coming here," she said.
Kostes said The Market is a good place for college students to pick up items because there is no income eligibility.
"We know a lot of of people don't qualify for food stamps but with the economy in the condition it is, we just wanted to provide another outlet to help people who typically wouldn't receive emergency food stamps but are still in need of assistance," she said.
"We have a lot of Ramen noodles," Kostes said. "And that's a staple for a lot of college students."
The Market at the Food Bank of Delaware is located at 14 Garfield Way, in an industrial park off of Route 72.
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our feed
Contact us through email
Be the first to comment on this article!