A pioneering collaboration between a grocery store and a clinic will bring primary care and nutritious food to low-income residents of Brockton, a city 30 miles south of Boston. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren was on hand for the ribbon cutting and, according to articles in the Boston Globe and the Brockton Enterprise, lauded the “incredible partnership” that has invigorated a formerly derelict commercial corner and will create some 200 jobs. The $22 million project aims to help a community suffering from high rates of chronic, nutrition-related disease access good, affordable food, nutrition education and health care—all in one place.
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"Brockton welcomes partnership between health center and grocery store"
by Ella Torres, Boston Globe
In an area that was once littered with liquor bottles and often labeled a food desert, now sits the new Brockton Neighborhood Health Center.
The $22 million development, which includes a collaboration with the neighboring Vicente’s Tropical Grocery, held its ribbon-cutting Sept. 3 with plans to officially open on Sept. 21. In attendance were, among other dignitaries, US Senator Elizabeth Warren and Brockton Mayor Bill Carpenter. The new health center at 160 Pleasant St. is Brockton’s second; the main health facility is just a few blocks away, at 63 Main St.
The new center and grocery store are working together “to make a difference in our zip code and create an environment where people have a chance to be healthy,” said Sue Joss, the health center’s chief executive officer.
The approximately 13,600-square-foot facility will hold 27 examining rooms and is expected to see nearly 6,700 patients a year. Boston Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a group working to revitalize neighborhoods, invested $8 million in the health center and $3.6 million in the market.
In addition to primary care and social services, community members can get hands-on experience with healthy eating habits through demonstrative cooking classes and tips on how to avoid the salt and go for the greens. Continued[+]...