WARREN — Emmett Williams is dismayed that no full-service grocery store is near him, so he jumped at the opportunity to patronize one that doesn’t have a permanent location.
“A lot of this stuff I will buy, no doubt,” Williams, of Warren, said. “I was born and raised in Warren, and this is well needed.”
He was referring to the 28-foot mobile market, which Flying HIGH Inc. operates in partnership with the grassroots Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods (ACTION) organization. The large vehicle, which serves Mahoning County, was showcased during an open house and ribbon-cutting gathering Saturday afternoon to celebrate ACTION’s new Warren office at 2051 Niles Road SE.
The new space will allow the faith-based organization, which has operated from various churches for most of its existence, to continue and expand efforts to tackle food insecurities, as well as fight poverty, racial injustices and blight, among other things, Rose Carter , executive director, noted.
“We need to get to the people, so I said, ‘Let’s put a grocery store on wheels,'” Carter said.
Williams bought a few fruits, but intends to take advantage of the traveling grocery store concept after a slightly larger vehicle planned for Trumbull County is launched later this year, he added.
The mobile market was filled with items that included fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, frozen mini pizzas, ice cream, condiments, chicken pot pies, steaks, beverages and breads.
Acceptable forms of payment include cash, credit and debit cards, and federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cards, Carter explained, adding that her organization also intends to work with Trumbull County farmers to buy fresh, locally grown produce.
“For seven months, we have served over 4,000 customers in Mahoning County,” Jeff Magada, Flying HIGH’s founder and executive director, said about the vehicle. “You do something because you feel there’s a need, but you really don’t know until the community responds, and certainly their response is a great validation of the need for food.”
The traveling grocery store, which is replenished as needed and based at the Campus of Care in Mineral Ridge, is also part of the nonprofit Flying HIGH’s workforce development program, he continued.
A 32-foot, similar vehicle will be available to serve residents in all parts of Trumbull County, possibly beginning this summer, Magada noted.
For that effort, ACTION has received about $250,000 from Trumbull County commissioners, and the city of Warren has pledged an additional $150,000, Carter said. Another $25,000 was donated during Saturday’s open house, courtesy of CareSource in Warren.
“We want to touch our beloved community,” by taking on problems such as food insecurities and social injustices, the Rev. Carla Robinson, associate pastor of Second Baptist Church in Warren, said.
Another benefit of the mobile grocery store will be its ability to assist those who live in especially rural parts of Trumbull County, Commissioner Niki Frenchko added.
Others who spoke passionately about continuing ACTION’s work to eradicate blight, deal with irresponsible landlords and address other problems in Trumbull and Mahoning counties was the Rev. Jeff Stanford, pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Warren.
“We’re going to make a difference in the community, if it takes everything I have,” he said.
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