LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The local non-profit The Just One Project and UnitedHealthcare Health Plan of Nevada Medicaid unveiled a no cost grocery store inside the J. E. Manch Elementary School Tuesday morning.
Students, parents, and faculty will be able take home free and fresh groceries at no costs to them thanks to the new market.
The free market is the third of its kind in the Clark County School District and the first to open inside an elementary school, according to the non-profit.
"We are beyond thrilled and so grateful for this opportunity to serve this community, which happens to be in one of the largest food deserts here in Southern Nevada. " said Brooke Neubauer, founder and CEO, The Just One Project. "
The Community Market at Manch Elementary School is appointment driven and will be run by case managers.
The case managers will be able to provide families with wraparound services including homeless prevention assistance and rapid rehousing if need arises.
"It's all about that safety net and having that case manager on site-- so while someone is food insecure and they need access to proper groceries, it's wonderful that we can step in and help them with other resources almost creating a net where they don't fall through the cracks," said Neubauer.
"This is going to be lifechanging for a lot of our students here," said Brandon Danowski, principal at Manch Elementary School.
Danowski said 100% of the student body at the elementary are on free or reduced lunch and, after the closest Walmart shut its doors nearly seven years ago, it's been for families to get ahold of fresh groceries.
He believes the free market could also increase school attendance.
"When students have other needs-- when we are talking about food, when we are talking about healthcare, a lot of the time school is on the backburner to be honest with you because they are dealing with the day-to-day grind of surviving sometimes. And if we can take that barrier away, I feel like it will be a true benefit for our students coming to school and then engaging in school too-- they are not thinking about their hunger, they are not thinking about food. It really helps them all around," said Danowski.
"I'm happy because there's nothing close by. I have travel to a Walmart that's pretty far away to stock up on food," said Betty Anguiano, a parent who just enrolled her kids in the elementary roughly four weeks ago.
She said the soaring grocery prices have been an added stress for her and her family.
She believes the new market could provide some relief.
"Before, we were able to fill up an entire cart with just $100. Now, It's only enough for just a day. It's been difficult.
The Community Market at Manch Elementary School is made possible thanks to a two-year collaboration between The Just One Project and UnitedHealthcare Health Plan of Nevada Medicaid, through which United Healthcare Health Plan of Nevada Medicaid has pledged more than $668,000 to support three no-cost markets at Clark County School District (CCSD) sites and an innovative “Groceries-on-the-Go” program.
