As some of you may well know, I grew up in Trenton's Wilbur Section. My mother raised four kids, practically alone, on welfare in a one-bedroom apartment over a bar.
My mother (who has her own mental issues) didn't always use her food stamps wisely. I remember growing up, towards the end of the month, there would only be a half of jar of peanut butter left on our shelves.
Although the Salvation Army and other people -such as friends of my mothers- would take pity on us and deliver food when desperately needed, it wasn't a pleasant experience.
I basically grew up on Oodles of Noodles (Ramen Noodles), Kool-Aid, candy and other junk-food. Most of the health-food I ate came from School or Free Lunches in the Garfield Ave. Park over the Summer.
Ever since I can remember there has always been a lack of health-food education in poor communities, not to mention it seems like healthy food is more expensive. Also not to mention, the Trenton Farmers Market is located on the outskirts of Trenton in Ewing, hardly within walking distance for many of Trenton's poor.
We poor people basically rely on the corner stores aka Bordega's and these stores are usually filled with what? Oodles of Noodles (Ramen Noodles), Kool-Aid, candy and plenty of junk-food.
Lately, there has been some improvements, for instance; The Trenton Rescue Mission has a "farmers Market" on Perry St. outside of their homeless facility and not just them but slowly and surely healthy food is sprouting up all around the "hood."
The latest and newest addition to the "get poor people healthy" trend is Marc McKithen's store on South Broad Street across the street from Sacred Heart Church in Trenton's Downtown area.
If you don't know who Marc McKithen is because you have been in Afghanistan or something lately, he is the former Trenton Law Director who stood up to Mayor Tony Mack on a Pay to Play issue with a certain Law Firm and also was pretty much asked to resign because he granted Open Public Records Requests as the Law requires.
Marc McKithen and men and women like him are the reason I would die defending the City of Trenton -- HONOR!
Here you have a man that put honor and integrity and the law first.... before his own personal gain.
Here you have a man that is not just in Trenton to cash-in somehow so he can buy a house in the Suburbs with our tax-money or his business profits earned from residents of this great and historic City.
He lives and raises his family IN Trenton! and now he is doing yet another community service by providing all of the poor elderly residents in Luther Arms and Kingsbury and even those well-off and or poor in Mill Hill with an establishment where they can use their Family First card and or cash to buy healthy nutritious foods.
Items such as:
Unsalted roasted peanuts in a bag (no salt)
Organic Milk, which has a longer shelf and usage life and is better for you.
Honest Tea and other soft-drinks that are a better alternative to soda.
And a whole host of less-sugar, more-healthier food items.
Marc has named his store The South Broad Marketplace, it's physical address is 332 South Broad St. Trenton NJ 08608, the store's phone number is 609-393-4757 and his Grand Opening is this Saturday October 15th at 12pm (noon).
To accept an evite you can follow this link South Broad Marketplace
We absolutely must support men and women like Marc McKithen who do honest business in our community, we absolutely must!
Please help me spread the word and be there with me this Saturday as we bless in Marc's latest, honest, much needed, community oriented, professional endeavor.
Photo's courtesy of :
Interesting post Robert. I think he would be a good guy to interview for my small business interview series, thanks for the heads up on the grand opening.
ReplyDeleteFantastic. I am going to get video too but I will concentrate on the customers, so if you want to focus more on Marc and his family and goals then we should be able to have two good posts abut the same event but from two perspectives. (:
ReplyDelete