Costs to force SE Ohio ‘free’ grocery store to close
(The Center Square) – A southeast Ohio “free” grocery store that received about $20,000 in taxpayer-funded grants over the last year may close its non-profit operation. With God’s Grace, funded by private donations and taxpayer grants since 2014, began as a food pantry but expanded to a grocery store. Founder and Executive Director Nicole Adkins told The Center Square rising costs may force her to close the doors. Adkins blamed inflation for higher operational and food costs and fewer donor dollars. “Right now, we are able to keep it open until January,” she said. “We want to keep the store open. But with the rising cost of insurance, utilities, food and gas, everybody has a higher cost of living. That is trickling down to our donations. We’ve always been donations based. We get small government grants but it’s nothing like big government grants that other organizations get.” The organization buys food from grocery stores or wholesalers at a discounted rate, Adkins said. The store stocks a variety of fruits and vegetables, non-perishable food and even household goods. Many of the patrons are elderly. It also has mobile locations for distributing food but may have to sell the grocery store building
