🌟DC Central Kitchen’s Healthy Corners: Fresh Food, Fair Prices [SP]

Healthy Corners is a pioneering venture based on a simple idea: everyone, in every neighborhood, deserves access to fresh, affordable fruits and vegetables. Launched by local nonprofit DC Central Kitchen in 2011, Healthy Corners is designed to make healthy food work for everyone—and it’s working! 

Too many DC neighborhoods still lack full-service grocery stores of their own, forcing residents to travel long distances for healthy food. DC Central Kitchen knew our community couldn’t afford to wait for tax incentives, outside investment, or a high-priced new development project to “solve” this problem for our city. We had to take a thoughtful look at the assets that already existed—small independent corner stores, local community farmers, residents of all backgrounds and income levels, and the skills of our culinary graduates—and arrange them, in ways that offered win/win scenarios and strengthened community trust. Not everyone believed in our approach at the time, but today Healthy Corners is an award-winning national model backed by local and federal policymakers, leading academic researchers, and most importantly, the DC community. 

Today, DC Central Kitchen delivers produce to 58 locations across the District, with special emphasis on Wards 5, 7, and 8. Thirty-four of these stores offer DCCK’s innovative SNAP Match nutrition incentive, giving SNAP/EBT users an additional $5 coupon for fruits and vegetables when they purchase a produce item.  And through years of advocacy and hands-on effort, 11 corner stores now also accept DC WIC benefits, another crucial resource for young families. The Healthy Corners team continues to work with corner store owners and other potential partners to expand access to healthy food options in their neighborhoods.  We work to support local DMV community famers in all seasons, regularly train and educate store staff in nutrition and produce knowledge, and provide community members with access to familiar and new fresh products, including on-the-go items.

In our 2024 program survey of the community conducted by American University, we saw that 66% of people who responded believe it is important that their fruits and vegetables come from local farms. We hear you and are actively working to expand our local product offerings, with a special emphasis on selling products grown by BIPOC farmers. Look out for our specials this season of local honeynut squash, sweet potatoes, kale, and collards!

So, the next time you need vegetables for your Tuesday night dinner or want a variety of fresh-cut fruit for a snack, head to your closest Healthy Corners participating corner store to pick up what you want—and deserve. There’s even an app with delicious recipes and an interactive map that lets you know what’s on the shelves now at your corner store!