The Salvation Army Just Opened the Country's First Nonprofit Grocery Store

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The newest grocery store to keep an eye on isn't trying to woo you with bottles of rosé or free two-hour delivery. Instead, DMG Foods, a brand-new concept from The Salvation Army that just opened in Baltimore, is the country's first-ever nonprofit grocery chain.

Named after the charity organization's motto (Doing the Most Good), the store's aim is to "present a sustainable model that engages the community in order for them to eat healthier, smarter, cheaper and all of that," Gene Hogg, The Salvation Army's area commander for Baltimore, tells The Shelby Report.

Located in a 7,000-square-foot warehouse, DMG Foods is no different than any other supermarket, with on-site butchers, deli counters and areas where shoppers can pick up premade meals. The store is open to all community members, regardless of their income level, with those on SNAP benefits eligible to receive additional coupons. (According to GrubStreet, DMG Foods aims to double the amount of food people on SNAP can buy.

There's also a workforce development program for store employees to improve their customer service skills, in addition to various educational workshops to teach community members about healthier shopping and eating habits. If all goes well at this pilot store, The Salvation Army plans to expand the concept to other food desert areas nationwide.

https://www.tastingtable.com/dine/national/salvation-army-grocery-store-dmg?utm_medium=email&utm_source=TT&utm_campaign=Weekend&utm_content=Editorial

[Arkansas Granny]

1. Great concept. It will be interesting to see how this works out.

[dlk]

2. American Ingenuity in Action -- There is Much We Can do to Help Each Other

This is a wonderful example.

[mainer]

3. Despite its innate conservatism, the Salvation Army does some good things.

I'm an atheist, but I've accompanied relatives to one of their services. After the service, they usually have a potluck meal. That day, two very ragged street people showed up at the door asking if they could eat. The minister welcomed them in with open arms, and they joined the congregation for lunch.

[Blue_true]

4. The branch in my city feeds homeless people breakfast, lunch and dinner several days per week.

In addition to providing nightly lodging. I was running near it one day a few weeks ago when a guy in a beatup car asked me for directions to the nightly housing, I didn't know where it was, but told him to look for people once he reached a specific location.

The Salv has some unacceptable rough spots, but it does a lot of good also. I support them and hope they get better at issues like LGBTQ policy (I have seen Trans people in the food line when I run by it, they appear to get served like anyone else during the times that I stopped to watch what happened).

[uppityperson]

5. They are evolving on lgb, need to do more on t. Reading on them recently, they aren't as homophobic

as they were as far as services, though still have extremist Christian views on LGBT being a sin and not supporting marriage equality and gender being the genitals you were born with.

It'd be great if they'd come around as they spend a greater % of donations than many other agencies.