What is Food Sovereignty?

While Northeast KCK has a long history of both mom-and-pop restaurants and food production through companies, the area is also a food desert. There is a need for establishments such grocery stores and urban farms, within the community.

Our mission behind Food Sovereignty is to improve access to quality foods and support and lead initiatives that builds a community-led, food-based economy for the Northeast Area. Our approach to food sovereignty involves Access, Support, and Education.

Northeast Grocers

During the NEAMP process, community members were asked to choose one project out of ten options that they wanted to see pursued as an “Early Action Project.” Connected to the overall theme of "A Food Hub," the development of a neighborhood grocery, specifically a cooperative community-owned grocery model, was voted up by the community as an “Early Action Project”.

This project, lovingly named Northeast Grocers, is a key initial step in reviving the livability of Northeast KCK. The Northeast Grocers planning team consists of HNMA staff, Unified Government Commissioners and staff, YouthBuild KCK staff, Dotte Agency staff, the Black Firefighters Association (PRIDE), NEAMP community liaisons, and other invested residents and business owners. The location of this project is 1726 Quindaro Boulevard Grant funding was used to clean out the building of inventory left by the previous business and update the electrical and plumbing.

Approximately 165 volunteers committed 476 volunteer hours in cleaning out the building and over 15 tons of trash were hauled away from the project site. The theme of this project if “Let’s Do it Again”, which honors the realities that at one time, Quindaro was a vibrant and bustling corridor with many retailers. This project is providing Northeast KCK with an invaluable jumpstart in managing their own food supply while improving the economic, social, and physical conditions of a key part of Quindaro Boulevard.