Spokane Healthy Corner Stores, a project led by West Central’s Healthy Neighbors Committee (HNC) in conjunction with the Spokane Regional Health District, is working to increase community access to healthy, affordable food through neighborhood corner stores. This project is funded by a grant from the Washington State Department of Health - Communities Putting Prevention to Work.
Bong's Grocery & Deli and Parkside Grocery & Meat Mart were selected to participate in this community-supported business venture. The Healthy Corner Store project will work directly with each of the selected stores to help increase their market sales, expand their customer base, and promote the sale of healthy food items such as fresh produce, whole grains, and healthy snacks in their stores.
In order to become a Healthy Corner Store, each store commits to a set of minimum set of expectations:
Stock fresh produce
Stock healthy foods
Food affordability: store must accept (or apply to accept) EBT and WIC
Healthy food marketing: display of Healthy Corner Store marketing materials
Comply with established Spokane County public health codes
Adhere to laws regarding transactions including sale of tobacco/alcohol to minors
Healthy Corner Stores will receive assistance and resources in order to meet the expectations listed above and their set business goals, including:
Assistance in improving store layout for storage and display
Free advertising and promotional materials (shelf signs, posters, flyers, etc.)
Social marketing to current and new customers living and working near the store through leafleting, announcement at public meetings, etc.
Information and training on how to purchase, price, stock and market healthy food
Assistance in obtaining WIC vendor status, establishing wholesale contracts with local produce vendors
Assistance in filling out applications and other paperwork for EBT (food stamps) and WIC
Small business development resources
Bi-annual evaluations of store progress
Parkside Grand Opening
Bong's Grand Opening
For more information about Healthy Corner Stores, please contact Natalie Tauzin at:
(509) 324-1659 or ntauzin@spokanecounty.org
