After five years of planning and building membership, the
Kensington Community Food Co-Op (KCFC) is ready to sign a lease. Their current campaign,
60 in 60, aims to bring 60 additional members to KCFC in 60 days, and to secure enough funding to ensure holding costs. If these goals are met, KCFC will open a location in 19125 early next year.
"It's going to provide healthy, quality food to the community," says Lena Helen, president of KCFC. "No grocery store in the area is committed to doing that completely."
To assist the membership drive, KCFC is holding two meet-and-greets this month: the first was held November 4 at
Pizza Brain and
Little Baby’s Ice Cream and the second will be November 21 at
Adorn Boutique. The co-op also holds bi-weekly marketplaces at
Circle of Hope church on Frankford Ave. The evening marketplaces give new and prospective members the opportunity to ask questions about healthy foods.
KCFC plans to increase educational activities once the permanent location has been established. Due to the density of low income residents in the surrounding neighborhoods, the co-op expects to offer food access programs such as "Food for All," a neighborhood fund for subsidized memberships.
KCFC is supported by local organizations including the
East Kensington Neighborhood Association and the
Norris Square Neighborhood Project. The
New Kensington Community Development Corporation helped the co-op raise initial funds and conduct a feasibility study. KCFC has also held marketplaces at
Greensgrow Farms and staffs a booth at Greensgrow events.
Source: Lena Helen, Kensington Community Food Co-op
Writer: Dana Henry