All People's Fresh Market on Columbus' South Side gives free produce to hundreds each day

Near the corner of East Whittier Street and Parsons Avenue, on Columbus' South Side, stands a modest, low-slung commercial building that houses a market.

But this is no ordinary market. 

The All People's Fresh Market prides itself on providing almost exclusively fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy products — all at no charge.

"We call ourselves a market, not a pantry, because we only have fresh fruits and vegetables and occasionally eggs, dairy and meat," said Jess Grady, director of the Healthy Eating and Living initiative at Community Development for All People.

The food is available to households making less than 200% of the federal poverty level, which amounts to $43,919 for a family of three and $25,759 for one person.

All that's needed to sign up is a driver's license or some other form of identification. No proof of income is required.

Kandi Greiner, 49, has been an All People's Fresh Market customer for the past five years. She said shopping there has changed her eating habits. 

"I'm eating fruits and vegetables that I normally wouldn't have been eating," Greiner said. "I normally wouldn't come home with a honeydew melon ... I wouldn't have bought squash at the store."

Linda Sotondji, 62, said shopping at the market helps her save on her grocery bill. She also incorporates what the market offers into her recipes. 

"I just get creative. Whatever they have, I make it," Sotondji said. 

"I eat healthy, so this is my spot."

Demand for fresh produce soared during worst of COVID-19 pandemic

The nonprofit Community Development for All People opened All People's Fresh Market in 2012, when it started its HEAL initiative. Back then, it served about 120 families each week. That number has risen to about 300 or 350 a day.

Demand skyrocketed even higher during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our record was 680 families coming through here in a day," Grady said. "We were consistently seeing 500 to 600 families per day."

Even with that unprecedented demand, not once did the market run out of food before closing for the day.

"Because our team has been doing this so long, we were able to set our limit so we wouldn't run out of food, and we had that variety for people," Grady said.

The market limits how much of each item its customers may take. The curbs are set each morning when food arrives from Mid-Ohio Food Collective. It's provided and delivered at no cost. 

Volunteers also pick up donations each morning from the Kroger grocery stores on Parsons Avenue and South High Street. 

Volunteers serve as the lifeblood of All People's Fresh Market

All People's Fresh Market, which is typically open until 4 or 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, also wouldn't exist without its volunteers, some of whom have been involved since the beginning.

Clara Bradley retired from Mount Carmel Health doing linen service when she was 55.

But the quiet life didn't suit her. She likes to stay busy.

"I stayed in the house for a year after I retired, and I got bored. My old man, he said, 'You're vacuuming the rug three times a day.'"

Now 76, Bradley has been volunteering with the market for the past nine years.

"I tell everybody that when you retire, don't sit down on your butt. Do something, move around. That's how people get sick."

On a recent Wednesday, Bradley was out back of the market, grilling hot dogs and ears of corn for her fellow volunteers.

Nursing students from Ohio State University also offered free blood pressure and blood sugar screenings to market customers.

"We've been really lucky so far this summer," Grady said. "Summer is usually when we see a dip in volunteers and we've been consistently having enough."

South Side market served customers from 190 different ZIP codes in 2021

All People's Fresh Market, which has been at its present location since 2018, collects ZIP codes from its customers, revealing that most live on the South Side. 

But some drive from afar to shop at the Parsons Avenue mainstay.

"I think we served 190 ZIP codes last year," Grady said.

That demand prompted Community Development for All People, in tandem with the Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, to open a second market last year in South Linden.

The Fresh Market and Charitable Pharmacy, 1464 Cleveland Ave., is located at the site of the former Eagle Market carryout.

Gary Stevens has managed the Parsons Avenue market for the past few years.

He said staples like eggs and milk are the market's most popular items, in addition to sweet fruits like watermelon and grapefruit.

Sweet potatoes are one of the products the market gets that doesn't seem to be popular with customers, "but I love sweet potatoes," Stevens said.

Market continues to flourish, despite less donated produce

Since March, the Mid-Ohio Food Collective hasn't been getting as much produce and therefore hasn't been able to provide the market with as much as its used to, Grady said.

"We just have to really be careful with our limits," she said.

Despite the reduced supply, the All People's Fresh Market continues to flourish.

"We've been lucky to have consistent produce, funding to keep a full-time staff and three part-time staff members, and volunteers who are always willing to help," Grady said.

This story is part of The Dispatch's Mobile Newsroom initiative. Visit our reporters at the Columbus Metropolitan Library's Parsons branch library and read their work at dispatch.com/mobilenewsroom, where you also can sign up for The Mobile Newsroom newsletter.

mtrombly@dispatch.com

@MonroeTrombly