Healthy Corner Store initiative in South Toledo is kicked off with the help of Toledo-Lucas County Health Department’s Creating Healthy Communities Grant and Live Well Greater Toledo
Toledo-Lucas County Health Department’s Creating Healthy Communities Grant is funded through CDC’s Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant, which is administered through the Ohio Department of Health. Creating Healthy Communities Grant targets three main areas - healthy eating, active living, and tobacco prevention. One initiative in 2012 was to increase the availability and access to healthy foods in a corner store located in an underserved area of the city where grocery stores are non-existent or limited. The goal is to convert a corner store into a Healthy Corner Store. A Healthy Corner Store is a corner store or convenient store that promotes the sales of healthy foods through stocking and marketing items such as fresh produce. Low-income communities and neighborhoods with limited access to public and private transportation often rely on corner stores as their main grocer.
With the help of an existing South Toledo community outreach program, Creating Healthy Communities was able to identify a corner store in South Toledo that was open to the idea of becoming a Healthy Corner Store. The corner store identified was Save Way Market, which is located at 1936 Broadway in South Toledo
In order to assess the interest of a Healthy Corner Store in the South Toledo community, surveys were distributed throughout the surrounding neighborhood with the help of neighborhood community organizations. A store assessment was also completed, which identified what produce the store currently sold and what may be lacking, This helped to identify how to better serve the store owner and ultimately the community. Once survey results were compiled, it was evident that there was a community need and interest in having healthier food options available.
Creating Healthy Communities moved forward with this initiative by working with the store owner to purchase a fruit and vegetable stand along with signage to help advertise the store’s increased offerings, as well as worked with the store owner to increase his inventory of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Creating Healthy Communities, in partnership with Live Well Greater Toledo organized and implemented a Healthy Corner Store kick-off event at Save Way market on October 3, 2012. The kick-off event was well attended by the community and received media coverage by channel 11, 13, and 24. WIC dieticians were also present and provided freshly made apple sauce, vegetable chili, and free recipes to customers. Pedometers were given away in exchange for filling out a survey. The event was a success and resulted in the store owner becoming more motivated to improve the kinds of food offered. Community stakeholders also attended the event, which promote relationships between the store owner and the community.
In order to assess whether this initiative will remain sustainable, follow-up with the store owner will be necessary, to identify the profitability of the recent increase in fresh produce that is being offered.