A nonprofit that has been operating a food pantry in Orange County for nearly 40 years has transformed its space into a grocery store-style experience with a shopping-like feel for the families who need it.
It's called "The Community Market" by the organization Families Forward.
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CEO Madelynn Hirneise explained the impetus behind a shift in their approach. "One of our core values is dignity," she told KNX News' Margaret Carrero. "We realized a couple of years ago...we really wanted to look at ourselves and say, OK, if we were to double down on dignity, how would our food pantry look different?"
Hirneise said that when her team took time to navigate the process their families go through, they realized the previous system felt like "a bag of food and a handshake," noting that this model wasn't meeting the true needs of the community they serve.
That's when they decided to rethink their approach altogether.
Now, "It is truly an immersive experience, and being able to put families in the driver's seat [has] just been so rewarding," said Hirneise.
Along with the remodel, which featured a new 670-square-foot market and a renovated 2,782-square-foot warehouse space to store food donations, shelf-stable products, and diapers, Hirneise says they were also able to expand their cold storage space, enabling them to provide fresh, nutritious food.
In addition to the food, part of the experience now includes a deeper sense of connectedness and community. "We kind of think about it as a Trader Joe's," said Hirneise. "We want to get to know you. Before you realize it you've already told me your weekend plans, and we're getting to find out what's the true meat of what might be bringing you here today."
Whether it's the loss of a job, childcare, or instability at home, The Community Market is asking the crucial next question, "How can we best connect you to services so you do not need to rely on Families Forward?"
The market in South Irvine is open Monday through Thursday, 10 am to noon and 1 pm to 3 pm.
To learn more about Families Forward, visit www.families-forward.org or call 949-552-2727.
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