Salvation Army in the US takes first step into grocery business
Salvation Army in the US takes first step into grocery business
12 March 2018
The Salvation Army's grocery store plans to serve 1200 families annually, create jobs and provide training and development for people seeking employment.
The USA Southern Territory has opened The Salvation Army’s first grocery store in the country. More than 100 local and national stakeholders attended the grand opening of the store, DMG Foods, in Baltimore, Maryland, last week.
Named after The Salvation Army's motto in the United States, “Doing The Most Good”, DMG Foods will provide fresh and affordable produce to 1200 families annually and create at least 15 jobs within the community.
Salvation Army USA Southern Territorial Commander, Commissioner Willis Howell, and representatives from the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, attended the opening, along with Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh.
Inside the 650 square-metre store, customers will find a butcher shop, a deli, ready-made foods such as rotisserie chickens, a bakery and a dairy section. The Salvation Army in Central Maryland worked with the Baltimore Development Corp, The Baltimore Food Initiative, and The Maryland Food Bank to design the concept of the new store.
In addition to in-house savings, customers that self-identify as government assistance recipients will qualify for complimentary food items each month. DMG Foods will also provide a five-week workforce development program for people seeking employment. After being helped with training and hands-on food retail experience, a case manager will then assist them with job placement in Baltimore.
“People in poverty want the same things as middle-class individuals – convenience, community and security,” said Major Gene Hogg, Central Maryland Area Commander and driving force behind DMG Foods. By offering a welcoming space with many choices, “we’re trying to create a shopping environment where economics shouldn’t be the sole driver of your experience".
The original article first appeared in the New Frontier Chronicle.
Comments
Can we have a Branch Church of the Salvation Army in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
I had gone through Training as a Soldier of the Salvation Army in Moscow, Russia from 1999-2005, but now living in Sierra Leone. We have no branch in Sierra Leone.
Is this opportunity of Grocery store possible in Africa, Sierra Leone