DALLAS — When some visit South Dallas neighborhoods, they see a need. While others see resilience.
“I’ve been walking the streets a long time now,” said Anthony Dayton Gray, a South Dallas resident.
He grew up in South Dallas and similar to other residents, walking is his mode of transportation.
“I walk to Fiesta,” said Gray. “I walk fast, queen. It might be 20 minutes for me.”
However, it may be longer for others as South Dallas is considered a food desert.
“If it takes you more than three miles to get to a location called a grocery store or a supermarket, then you are considered to be in a food desert,” said Gabe Madison, Bonton Farms President. The organization provides healthy food options and education to the community.
Some may have a small grocery store or convenience store nearby, but Madison said you also have to consider transportation and what that store offers.
“They don’t have fresh food. They don’t have the perimeter that we see with big grocers in those locations so that still designates as a food desert,” said Madison. “The nearest grocery store is about three miles away. If I don’t have a vehicle, that can be up to an hour and a half of a one-way commute on the bus. You can only come back with what you can carry. With this option, we’re walkable in the community.”
Bonton Farms is partnering with the South Dallas Fair Park Inner City Community Development Corporation (ICDC) and Kroger to launch Grocery Connect on Tuesday.
“What we feel like will be a revolutionary change,” said Madison.
Here is how it works - residents will go to Kroger’s website, order groceries, and have them delivered to ICDC with no delivery or service fee. Then, pick up the groceries there.
“Our great community members who have SNAP benefits will be able to also order using the online platform as well,” said Madison.
She said having people come to ICDC to pick up their groceries is more convenient as many people visit the center daily.
“It lessens the challenge of trying to get to the grocery store,” said Madison.
The center will take one delivery a week with hopes of adding more.
John Votava, Kroger Corporate Affairs Director, said the cost of building a grocery store has more than doubled. Grocery Connect is a way around that.
“We’re talking like $40M to build a store. Then you have to fill it with associates and maintain it. It becomes very costly to build a brand-new store,” said Votava.
He said that’s what makes the delivery platform more feasible.
“It brings that access. It allows people a new opportunity to get that fresh nutritious food and get it affordably as well,” said Votava.
Billy Lane, ICDC Executive Director, said residents have wanted access to fresh and affordable foods for a long time.
“Consumers in Mill City, Bertrand, Fraizer don’t feel like they’ve been heard,” said Lane. “It’s not that that complaint is not there. It’s that consumers in South Dallas/Fair Park neighborhoods have learned to adapt and overcome.”
It is a new adaptation that creates access to a resilient community.
“If you don’t do nothing, you’re going to eat,” said Gray. “Any kind of way you’re going to make it easy, that’s what’s up.”
The grand opening event for Grocery Connect takes place on Tuesday, January 30, from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at ICDC, 4907 Spring Ave St. 100 Dallas, TX 75210.