September 16, 2011 Many neighborhoods throughout urban and rural America do not have access to fresh food and day-to-day living essentials within walking or a short driving distance. Many of these areas are known to be a food desert. Over 23 million people live in food deserts.
An idea to help bring food to some of these communities was hatched by four students attending Bainbridge Graduate Institute and was aptly called Stockbox Grocers.
“Stockbox Grocers is a convenient mini store that is tucked into a reclaimed shipping container and placed into the parking lot of an existing business or organization. Imagine dozens of stores, located throughout urban food deserts and within walking distance of home, work, or school. The stores are small – but they are designed to offer the produce and essential grocery items needed to get through the week.”
Besides being recently awarded prizes for their ingenuity, Stockbox Grocers just passed their Kickstarter goal of $15,000 and opened their first shipping container store in the Delridge neighborhood of West Seattle. Big congrats on their success.
It may not be the answer, but it’s a start.
Watch the video to get a better sense of what is inside and what it’s about:
h/t @Cocoxochitl, aka Mud Baron.