DC Central Kitchen’s Healthy Corners program was recently honored by the Food Systems for the Future Institute (FSFI) at the Grocery Retail Resilience and Innovation Award Ceremony during the Grocery Retail for All Summit in Chicago.
First launched by DCCK in 2011, Healthy Corners is a pioneering venture that sustainably expands healthy food access in DC neighborhoods. Our model is delivering discounted, healthy produce to corner stores in DC’s low-income communities, offering fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables to store owners at wholesale prices and in smaller quantities than a conventional distributor. We also provide free technical assistance and infrastructure support to participating small retailers so they can provide the fresh and healthy options their communities need.
Kapi Berhanu helps manage the Healthy Corners program at DC Central Kitchen and attended the summit in Chicago. “It was inspiring to be in a room with small grocers and organizational leaders from across the country who are working together to address food apartheid through creative, solutions-based approaches,” says Berhanu. “It was encouraging to see that Healthy Corners has been a [recognized] leader in this work for quite some time, and to share ideas with others who are committed to expanding equitable access to healthy food.”
The Grocery Retail Resilience and Innovation honorees represent organizations implementing innovative approaches to advancing retail and expanding access to nutritious food in underserved communities. As part of its recognition, FSFI awarded Healthy Corners a $10,000 grant to bolster its unique approach to increasing access to healthy foods in Washington, DC.
“Our mission-driven program keeps wholesale produce prices low, and we have been successful in securing additional funding to market the Healthy Corners brand, train store owners on topics like inventory management and merchandising, and develop new products,” says Abby Lynch, Institutional Giving Manager at DC Central Kitchen, who led the nomination for the award. “Stores have, in turn, been able to grow the space they devote to healthy foods.”
Last September, one Ward 8 corner store received a full make-over, converting large sections of the store to devote an entire wall to a full Healthy Corners produce section, increasing their healthy options to devoted shoppers. “Our sustained investment has helped stores build a customer base, which further reinforces DCCK as a trusted partner in those communities,” says Lynch.
Find a full list of participating Healthy Corners locations on our site. Download our free Healthy Corners Shopper App to view produce availability and benefits by location, engage with delicious recipes, and explore additional community resources. If you’re outside of DC and interested in bringing this innovative program to your town, we’ve recently released a comprehensive, open-source guide on how to implement this program, completely free of charge for all food fighters. Thank you again to the Food Systems for the Future Institute for this honor!