Dayton grocery store gets new members
Kettering Health offers its workers discounts to buy shares in market.
One of the area’s largest employers is offering its more than 12,000 workers discounts to buy shares in a cooperative grocery store planned for northwest Dayton.
Kettering Health Network on Friday revealed it has a sponsorship program that allows all of its workers to buy lifetime memberships to the Gem City Market for $50, half the normal price.
The Gem City Market will be a full-service and community-owned grocery store in the 300 and 400 block of Salem Avenue, which is located in one of the state’s worst food deserts.
“They are building our membership,” said former Congressman and Ambassador Tony Hall.
The site of the proposed market is a littlemore than half a mile from Grandview Medical Center, which employees 1,635 people and is one of Kettering Health’s eight hospitals.
Dayton was the fourth-hungriest community in the nation a couple
of years ago, said Hall, citing a “Food Hardship in America” report by the Food Research & Action Center.
The Dayton metro area now ranks 42nd for food hardship, according to a new report by the center.
That shows improvement, but “we’ve got a long way to go,” Hall said.
Kettering Health set a goal of having 1,000 employees buy discounted shares. About 550 have already taken advantage of the offer.
“We have many employees who work here at Grandview, who live near the Gem City Market, and (some) who work and live in the area, we thought that if they want to become a member, then we would help to subsidize that,” said Roy Chew, pres- ident of Kettering Health Network.
The health care system quietly launched its promo- tion in June, which is helping the Gem City Market reach its goal of selling 2,000 mem- berships before the grocery store opens.
As of Friday, the market had sold about 1,630 shares and topped the $2 million mark in its capital campaign.
Kettering Health also helped the market with its $4.2 million capital campaign goal by donating $100,000 in December.
During a presentation Fri- day, Kettering Health gave the market a check for $27,500, which was payment for its subsidy of its workers’ mem- berships.
“Not only are they building a loyal customer base, but they are giving the whole community an example,” Hall said.
Hall said they challenge other government entities, businesses and organizations to step up and provide support for a market that will help transform northwest Dayton.
Mama Nozipo Glenn, who lives near the market site, said they are not just building a market — they are building a movement.
The Gem City Market movement is “infectious” and will have a lifelong impact on the area, she said.
Keith Jenkins, the human resources director for the Grandview hospital system, said he grew up in the neigh- borhood and his dad lives there.
He said the neighborhood has been hurt by the loss of businesses and jobs. But Gem City Market will employ local residents and will support new investment, he said.
“The biggest part for me is that Gem City Market not only represents bringing more nutrition to the area, but it starts a new economy,” he said.