A free grocery store has opened inside Martin Luther King Jr. High School in DeKalb County thanks to the help of Goodr, an organization that works to feed those in need.
The new initiative aims to combat food insecurity in the Atlanta metropolitan area. This forms part of Goodr’s continuous effort to feed the hungry.
All year long, students and their families will be able to get fresh groceries for free from the store, which is called “The Lion’s Den.”
The idea is to make sure that hunger does not prevent people from learning.
According to 11Alive, leaders hope this effort will improve students’ ability to focus in school.
Mayor of Stonecrest, Jazzmin Cobble, said, “One thing that we wanted to do to support our students was make sure that the distractions in the classroom, like hunger, are alleviated. If we can eliminate that problem, students can focus, pay attention, and contribute.”
The school, which has 1,400 students, said that its students come every day to focus on their academics, but many of them are experiencing urgent food insecurity, which the institution has stepped in to address.
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“It was a need and we’re filling it indeed,” Principal Michael Alexander told WSBTV.
According to the outlet, Stonecrest and Goodr collaborated with students and their families to determine their needs, with the grocery store providing fresh produce, meat, frozen meals, and canned items.
Founded by Jasmine Crowe-Houston, the nonprofit has launched similar food programs throughout metro Atlanta, emphasizing community-based approaches to addressing food insecurity.
In March, the Lion’s Den was formally open for family and students.
