Amazon has announced a collaboration with Goodr and Newton County Schools to establish a no-cost grocery store at Alcovy High School in Newton County, Georgia. This initiative was revealed through a news release on Amazon’s website.
According to the announcement, Amazon and Goodr are working together on free grocery stores and other hunger-relief programs aimed at providing no-cost food access directly to communities. These partnerships have resulted in the launch of school-based markets and community grocery initiatives across several U.S. cities, with the goal of reducing food waste while increasing access to fresh groceries for eligible families.
A 2024 summary from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Household Food Security report indicates that approximately 47 million people, including nearly 14 million children, lived in food-insecure households in the United States in 2023. This figure marks an increase from around 44 million people the previous year and is noted as the highest number recorded since 2014. The rising trend of food insecurity highlights the importance of local programs that enhance access to groceries and household essentials.
A systematic review conducted in 2023 on universal free school meal programs in the United States found that expanding free meals to all students correlates with higher participation rates in school meal programs. The research also identified connections between universal free meals and improved student attendance across several districts studied. These findings suggest that school-based food access initiatives can positively impact both nutrition and educational outcomes.
Goodr, a certified B Corporation social enterprise founded by Jasmine Crowe-Houston in Atlanta, Georgia, employs a technology-enabled platform featuring logistics and blockchain-based tracking to assist businesses in diverting surplus edible food to nonprofits and community programs. Goodr states its mission as reducing food waste while enhancing food access for communities experiencing hunger.
