First Free Grocery Store at Bayview YMCA Beacon Site
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary is a community school and as a community school, we partner with resources and bring them into our school, connecting them to students and families to ultimately improve learning outcome for students... our partnership through SF Beacon Initiative and the YMCA has connected us to the Goodr resource as a part of our whole child concept.” -Tyson Fechter, Principal, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Beacon
On Monday, August 26, 2024, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School Beacon (Dr. MLK Jr. Beacon) celebrated the grand opening of its new, free grocery store in San Francisco’s Portola district with a historic ribbon-cutting event – a collaborative community effort between the YMCA of Greater San Francisco (YGSF), San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), Goodr, and Amazon.
The site is one of our five Beacon Initiatives in San Francisco (John Muir, Marina, James Denman, Dr. MLK Jr. and Dr. William Cobb). Our Beacon sites initiate comprehensive programs for the entire school by supporting students in attendance and academic progress, Boys and Young Men of Color (BYMOC) strategy, expanded learning, health and wellness, family partnerships, and reducing food insecurity in our community.
Goodr, a sustainable food waste management and hunger solutions company, partnered with Amazon aiming to reduce food insecurity by providing youth and their families access to food and essential household items they may need. With 12 Goodr Grocery Stores established in schools and communities across the country, this is the second store in which Amazon has sponsored, and the first one ever in California and the West Coast.
With the Y at the forefront of the movement against hunger, this accessible grocery store will serve 120 students and their families by providing a total of 160 two full bags trips each month. Stocked with a variety of items, students and their families can shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy products, shelf-stable goods, and beverages.
It’s also about removing barriers for children and families, making sure we do the good work together – to lift up our young people, to give them hope and joy, and to make sure to let families know we are here for them.” -Maria Su, Director, Department of Children, Youth and their Families (DCYF)
Thank you to our partners and collaborators for coming together with us to make this possible for our youth and their families! Through our 2030 Vision and Mission, we are able to continue building healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities for all generations and ensure that they have access to the programs, services, and resources they need. Our commitment to reducing food insecurity and addressing hunger is to raise awareness that food is a human right and that everyone has a right to healthy, nutritious food.