A new food co-op is intended to help residents of Flint’s north side which has become a food desert.
The North Flint Food Market opened Wednesday, with hundreds of people jamming the aisles.
Brigitte Jackson, the president of the cooperative that runs the market, said some northside residents have had to travel up to five miles to the nearest grocery store, which is difficult for those who rely on public transportation.
“It’s bigger than just a grocery store,” said Jackson, “This is about economic empowerment.”
Jackson said the new coop is about “food sovereignty but also ownership.”
She notes many Flint residents rely on food aid programs that have been paused by the federal government shutdown. She says co-op members are trying to help them as well.
The shutdown delayed the payment of $8 billion in monthly SNAP food aid to 42 million recipients in November, creating a significant financial disruption for many households that likely reduced spending. Some states, like Michigan, have managed to pay full benefits this month, though the Trump administration is still fighting over the issue in court.
The deal currently under consideration in Congress to reopen the government includes full funding of SNAP benefits.
