Kensington has been over-run with convenient stores and fast food for far too long and residents are starting to take notice.
Lena Helen has been a resident in the area for the past two years. She labels her neighborhood as the “edge of the food desert”. “Looking around the neighborhood for areas to improve, food seemed like a no-brainer,” says Helen.
Helen and a few other local food enthusiasts joined together in 2008 to create Kensington Community Food Co-op. For those not familiar with Co-ops, the organization’s goal is to provide fresh, local food (both organic and conventional) to their fellow neighbors. Their goal is to open a cooperative grocery store by winter of 2011.
The grocery store will be open to anyone but shoppers will have the opportunity to become members of the cooperative by investing with a one-time fee. Once a member, you have the option of becoming a “working” or a “non-working” member for the chance to earn extra KFCC dollars for each hour you work.
As far as the exact location and esthetic design of the grocery store, the planning is still in the works. “The store will thrive if it has the neighborhood feel. We have to survey residents to see what the community wants and needs,” says Helen.
According to KFCC’s Community Forum release, a meeting concerning the Co-op will be open to the public on November 17th at Philadelphia Brewing Company (2423 Amber St.) from 6:30 – 9:00 PM. The meeting will serve as a forum for all those in the community who wish to voice their grocery shopping needs.
By Kait Privitera and Eric Pellini
Team 15: Kensington
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