Bayview Hunters Point grocery market offers free food to eligible residents

A community market opening Wednesday in the Bayview Hunters Point plans to offer free groceries to hundreds of District 10 households every month through a pilot program that will run through next summer.

Why it matters: District 10 is home to neighborhoods that lack reliable access to grocery stores, including Bayview Hunters Point and Visitacion Valley, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture .

• The new market puts the area one step closer toward addressing food insecurity, District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton said at an event Tuesday to unveil the new 4,000-square-foot facility ahead of its opening.

Driving the news: The community market will offer free groceries, including produce, dairy products and other food to District 10 residents who are experiencing food insecurity. It will also connect residents to resources and services related to housing, workforce development, childcare and more.

• To qualify, residents must live in ZIP codes 94124, 94107 or 94134, receive public assistance or otherwise be considered low-income, have children or a diet-related illness and be referred by a community organization.
• The pilot program is slated to run through June 2025. At that point, the city expects the program will have served 1,500 households monthly.

What they're saying: The new market "is a major step toward improving food access" in Bayview Hunters Point, Mayor London Breed said in a written statement.

• Cathy Davis, executive director of Bayview Hunters Point Multipurpose Senior Services, said the grocery market "will bring more dignity and choice to food distribution" in the city.

Flashback: The grocery store came about following legislation introduced by District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safaí in 2021 that amended the city code to include a Food Empowerment Market Fund .

• The ordinance enables the San Francisco Human Services Agency to provide grants to nonprofits to operate and establish community grocery markets.

What's next: The city is also looking at opening similar markets in other neighborhoods, with a specific focus on the southeast areas, Safaí told Axios.

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