MILWAUKEE — With the cut of a ribbon, the dream of providing access to fresh local produce for people living in Sherman Park became one step closer to reality.
"Access to healthy nutritious foods is an essential part of neighborhoods," said Milwaukee Mayor, Cavalier Johnson.
After more than a year of planning and collaborating, Maurice Wince and his wife Yashica opened the doors to the Sherman Park Grocery store for a look inside. Residents say this is something they wanted for years.
"We’ve heard the people's cries and we’ve heard the people's needs," said Wince.
Now, residents in the Sherman Park area have access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and more. All at their fingertips.
"We usually travel several miles to get the fresh food that is now going to be available right across the street. It means so much," said Crystal Arrington.
According to a recent Milwaukee Fresh Food Access Report, the city has 13 food deserts, areas where people have limited access to a variety of healthful foods. This means most people live more than a 10-minute walk from a store to get all the resources they need.
"We want to make sure that it’s not just this corner, but any corner in the city of Milwaukee, has a grocery store with fresh fruits and vegetables and access to that," said Wince.
The store will also partner with Fork Farms, an organization that teaches people of all ages how to grow their own food.
"It’s just a platform to have access to and exposure to healthy eating," said Wince. "Once you grow it multiple students will say, 'Hey mom we grew this can we cook this? Or hey mom this is the salad that we grew'."
Wince says they are still working on a few small details before officially opening. Once open, the store will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
