New Lincoln Park grocery store expands community resources, provides free, healthy snacks to kids

Denver Housing Authority has established an ground breaking way to supply food items accessibility although catering to a neighborhood. Residents in Denver’s Lincoln Park neighborhood have a position to get groceries and prepared foods within strolling length.  

Osage Café and Mercado held a grand opening Tuesday to start their expanded room that contains a grocery retail store. The current market was packed with neighbors anxious to see the addition to their neighborhood.  

Jen, a longtime resident, and her close friends talked to CBS4 outdoors the sector at 1015 Osage Road in Denver. 

“Those people with small profits have a tough time obtaining out and about to the finer dining places, but with this and the creations they make, we’re ready to appreciate actually best-notch foods in this article. I am genuinely happy about this. I know lots of of the other local community associates are also,” said Jen.

Annie Hancock, Director of Resident and Neighborhood Expert services for the Denver Housing Authority, states DHA labored to open their doorways and deliver food access in the course of the pandemic when men and women were out of perform and failed to have the expert services that ended up typically offered. 

“The largest matter for us below is just keeping issues cost-effective so that it’s definitely serving the total neighborhood and conference some of people fundamental necessities in phrases of foodstuff accessibility. Accessibility to the cultural requirements, the pricing demands, the fresh meals demands,” stated Hancock. 

Hancock suggests the marketplace just isn’t here to make cash. 

“We’re below to supply a necessary resource to the community. From early on and grasp setting up of this of the district, one particular of the largest challenges that came to gentle was deficiency of food stuff accessibility and deficiency of employment prospects,” reported Hancock.  

Many thanks to a grant from Wholesome Foods for Denver Kids, they’re ready to deliver absolutely free meals and treats for teenagers and young ones 18 many years previous and more youthful. They can occur into the retail store and decide on out balanced snacks any day of the week at no price tag. 

“We have chicken salad wraps, yogurt, granola bars, fruit. We’re hoping to supply a fruit, a grain, a dairy solution, and protein to ensure that anyone has access to food stuff every time they may possibly want it,” mentioned Hancock.  

Some teenagers are in the kitchen finding skills teaching by means of the Youth Employment Academy.  

It truly is a welcome addition that feeds this community in more techniques than one particular.

“The young ones here, they’re likely to be accessing this for sure. They’ll all go and swim at the park and afterward occur here. We are seriously fired up for all the added benefits for the men and women right here,” explained Jen. 

DHA says they’re open to locating new suppliers to meet the desires of men and women in the community. It really is a extremely assorted neighborhood and they hope no a single will have to go much to get what they’re seeking for.