At least 5 times a day I greet someone at The Market that looks a little confused as to why nothing has a price on it. As soon as I see this happen, I walk up and say “Hello…have you shopped with us before?” And then they tell me that they used to shop here when it was a fruit stand. I immediately tell them what our Market is and tell them to not feel foolish, they just gave us the greatest compliment they could give me. The entire point IS that it looks like a high-end market and I’m flattered whenever there is confusion. It means I did what I said I would do, eliminate the shame associated with the experience of shopping at a food bank by creating a market.
Never once has someone turned and walked away from me after I’ve shared our true identity. They typically stand as if their feet are glued to the floor, looking at everything around them in wonder. I can only imagine that they’re reconciling their preconceived notions of a food bank with their present reality…and just taking it all in. I wait for people to look back at me with an expression that tells me they need to know more. These moments are some of my most favorite of the day. Telling someone our story and watching their eyes light up as they hear things about food insecurity and humanity in a way they haven’t heard before, it’s a beautiful thing. When our tour and conversation come to a close, the first thing people say to me is:
“How can I help?”
“How can I help?” It’s a simple question with many answers and very personal to the donor, from volunteering hours to food drives, or group projects and donations. We are so thankful for all the ways our community has risen to the challenge and stood right beside us as we’ve managed to completely rewrite the narrative of food insecurity amidst a crisis.
The community is what has made this incredible project come to life and it will be the community that helps this live on for years to come.
Thank you for being a part of this story!
- Stacey
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