Here’s a little about us: The Madison Community Grocery Project is a coalition of residents who are committed to improving quality of life in Jefferson County through food access and education.
As we work to help fill downtown Madison’s food desert with quality groceries, we also know there’s more to food access than stocked shelves. We envision serving our community beyond the grocery store with programs like these:
- Community sharing gardens that are accessible and free
- School teaching gardens
- Local grower support in the form of marketing, shelf space, and purchasing agreements
- Cooking, nutrition, and food budgeting classes
- Community kitchen events
- After-school programs that help ensure evening food security for children
Some of these programs are already getting started, and there will be plenty of volunteer and engagement opportunities coming soon! If you want to get on our volunteer list ASAP, feel free to contact us here and tell us a little about yourself.
It’s been a busy two years of foundation-building. We’ve learned about our community through a far-reaching survey, market demand analysis, focus groups, and visits to local nonprofits and service providers. We’ve consulted with creative grocery and food access providers around the country. Our neighbors have helped us understand both the needs and resources in our community, and they’ve dreamed with us as we cast a vision together and created partnerships. Now we’re ready to move forward, one step at a time.
We appreciate the support of the Madison Main Street Program, who are serving as our pass-through nonprofit until we take flight on our own. This allows us to raise funds and seek grants in our early days, and we’re truly grateful for their support.
