Meritus Health and Horizon Goodwill Join Downtown Hagerstown Grocery Initiative

Horizon Goodwill Industries (HGI), in partnership with Meritus Health, is proud to announce that funding of $ 435,000 has been provided by the SEED Fund of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

“We are constantly looking for opportunities to partner with other organizations and our community to meet the needs of our neighbors,” says Josh Repac, vice president of revenue cycle and clinical support services at Meritus Health.

Submitted by Meritus Health on behalf of HGI, the Seed Community Development Anchor Institution Fund will help establish a full-service grocery store in downtown Hagerstown. This store will be operated by Horizon Goodwill Industries from its downtown facility on Prospect Street. The company will provide fresh food and basic necessities to all of downtown Hagerstown, which has been defined by the USDA as a “food desert.”

“When community members don’t have access to the resources they need, including fresh produce, their health suffers. This grant allows us to partner with a strong community organization to meet the needs, ”explains Repac.

Ron Bowers, Chairman of the Board of Directors of HGI, said: “The inclusion of this type of initiative will not only help people living in central Hagerstown, but the investment can potentially be the spark to launch a big return to economic development for the city center. “He emphasizes that” the support and determination of the HGI Board of Directors has been a tremendous inspiration to everyone involved. “

This project was sparked by a conversation between HGI management, Meritus Health and the Washington County Community Action Council around the Healthy Washington County Go For Bold initiative that started in early 2020. This conversation focused on the challenges facing us many downtown residents to get healthy food and the resulting negative impact on the health of the community. Households in this area do not have easy access to a traditional grocery store and often have to use public transport or travel long distances to reach conventional grocery stores. While convenience stores and fast food restaurants are readily available, the prices and choices are not health-oriented or affordable for many families.

HGI President and CEO Dr David Shuster said, “Given our background in retail operations and our passion for working together to tackle community challenges, we felt it was It is appropriate that HGI take the initiative in bringing this project to life. In addition to helping alleviate the state of the food desert, opening a downtown grocery store will create additional jobs and allow us to introduce vocational training opportunities in the retail grocery store, creating new career paths and supporting other employers in this sector.

The store will be located at 200 North Prospect Street, in part of the HGI Mission Services building. Those who may benefit from HGI’s workforce development services will be able to access Case Managers who can provide support for lingering issues related to employment, job skills, family concerns, and family concerns. ‘other social problems.

Brooke Grossman, Head of Mission for HGI, adds that “Access to affordable, fresh food is vital to the health of our city. I am proud that we are part of a solution-driven collaboration to meet the needs of our community.

“Our hope is to continue to build on this partnership and to continue to meet and support the needs of all who live in the communities we serve,” said Repac.

Construction and redevelopment of part of the Prospect Street building will begin in early 2022, with an opening slated for later this year.