In an effort to increase the availability of healthy food options in the Jefferson neighborhood and to include the Public Art Projects, Fargo Cass Public Health (FCPH) applied for and received a grant through the Arts & Culture Commission in January 2020. The grant funds the Neighborhood Market Project, which has been on-going and will culminate with painting of a mural on the north side of the Community Family Market (CFM) building, located at 602, 23rd Street South in Fargo. Kim Lipetzky, FCPH Public Health Nutritionist, says, “It has been a pleasure to work with Community Family Market to increase and promote healthful food options in the convenience store.”
The Neighborhood Market Project is an extension of Stock Healthy, Shop Healthy, which is a comprehensive, community-based program that allows communities to improve access to healthy, affordable foods by working with a small food retailer, such as CFM. The convenience store now not only provides healthy, affordable and culturally appropriate foods to neighborhood residents, but it also has exterior space to host a public art mural, which serves as a vital component to building a dynamic and equitable community.