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IN THE NEWS
From the Central Oregonian (Prineville, OR):
SUPERMARKET SWEEP
Four charity groups shop Grocery Outlet for a good cause
By AnneMarie Knepper
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| Ron Davis, representing The Oasis kitchen, carefully checks his list during the charity shopping contest at Grocery Outlet in Prineville. |
Monday afternoon, Grocery Outlet looked more like a taping of Supermarket Sweep as four charity organizations took to the aisles in a friendly competition.
The idea came to Grocery Outlet owners Carl and Sharon Shaver after Governor Ted Kulongoski's widely publicized trip to the store - purchasing a week's worth of groceries for himself and the first lady with the amount of money in food stamps a two-person household in Oregon receives.
"We saw printed what the governor was able to purchase," Carl Shaver said. "We knew how far that could go here."
According to the Associated Press, Kulongoski spent $20.97 (his half of the $42) on bananas, milk, yogurt, granola, a chicken, bread, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and other items.
Local organizations, including the soup and meal kitchen The Oasis, Ashley Manor Care Center, St. Vincent de Paul, and the Soroptimist Senior Center had 30 minutes to fill decorated carts with grocery items for carefully-planned meals.
All four organizations carried lists and many pre-shopped the store to get the lay of the land.
"I shop here," said St. Vincent de Paul volunteer Sue McReynolds. "So I know right where to find all the stuff. I can't find anywhere cheaper."
McReynolds and her partner, St. Vincent de Paul volunteer Sammi Jo Pedersen, came close to the $42 limit with a total grocery bill of $41.68.
It was Ron and Marlene Davis of The Oasis who came closest to the limit with items totaling $41.90.
The four carts of groceries were all examined by Grocery Outlet employee and nutritionist Elizabeth Johnson.
After explaining the merits and drawbacks to each group's selection, Johnson deemed St. Vincent de Paul the winner, considering how close they came to the $42 limit and their mix of healthful food options.
St. Vincent de Paul picked brown eggs, apples, oatmeal, chicken thighs, tuna and vegetables, among other items.
The winner was presented with a $100 gift card to be spent at Grocery Outlet.
All organizations were told to keep their carts' contents free of charge. Ashley Manor chose to donate their cart to St. Vincent de Paul.
"We all work together," said Karole Stockton, who represented the Soroptimist Senior Center with fellow Soroptimist Neva McPherson. Stockton explained each group refers clients to other groups' services whenever possible.
"It's a good bunch of folks and we enjoy working with them," Carl Shaver said of the organizations. "We believe in what they are doing. We support them and they support us. "
From insideBayArea.com:
Food stamp challenge: Live on $25 for a week
By Cheryl Winkelman, STAFF WRITER
Here's a challenge: live off the average food stamp budget for a week.
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski dared residents to try it last week to raise awareness about hunger and the affordability of nutritious food.
In Oregon, the average food stamp budget is $21 per week per person. That's $3 per day, or $1 per meal.
In California, each food stamp recipient is a little luckier, receiving about $25 per week, or $1.19 per meal.
According to Oscar Ramirez, a spokesman for the California Department of Social Services, nearly 2.03 million people who received food stamps last year took the challenge unwittingly, and it may not have been easy.
Healthy eating is simpler for the middle class, who have access to cars, a working kitchen, a grocery store and the time to cook, said Deborah Reed, an economist with the Public Policy Institute of California.
But for low-income people, "it's harder to live healthy on a food stamp budget," Reed said.
In the Bay Area, for example, there aren't produce-stocked grocery stores in many low-income neighborhoods, Reed added.
Food stamp eligibility is not only based on income, but that is the most notable factor. The federal government sets its poverty benchmark around $18,000 annually for a family of four.
About 13 percent of Americans lived under the benchmark in 2004, the most recent year data was available, Reed said.
If California's high cost of living is figured in, that percentage jumps to about 16 percent. Because San Joaquin County is a cheaper place to live than, for example, the Bay Area, about 14 percent of its residents lived in poverty, Reed said.
As such, it is possible to purchase 21 healthy meals at the Tracy Grocery Outlet, one of 124 extreme-value grocery stores located in the western part of the country.
Though the menu may not be overly varied, those on a budget do have access to healthy food.
According to the store's owner, Verla Braun, "it's hard to eat healthy, but you can do it here." The total price: $24.81.
From the Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon):
Grocery donors put stock in Habitat for Humanity
Salem store fills new home's shelves to welcome owners
BY TIMOTHY ALEX AKIMOFF
Statesman Journal
April 16, 2007
A house is not a home until it feels like one.
At least that's the opinion of Rick Gaupo, the executive director of the Mid-Willamette Valley Habitat for Humanity.
Gaupo and a group of supporters and volunteers presented houses to two families Sunday, and at least one of these houses is one step closer to a home.
Terry Carlson of Grocery Outlet filled the cupboards of one house with $400 worth of food, cleaning supplies and cutlery. This is a first for the company and the Mid-Willamette Valley Habitat for Humanity.
Terry Carlson said the other house will be stocked when it gets its final inspection, which is expected soon.
Paco Quevedo, 12, waited until his new house cleared of people, then opened a cabinet door revealing canned food, pasta and other goodies.
A wide smile spread across his face.
His mother, Maria Quevedo, stood back to take in the sight of a kitchen full of supplies.
"She is very surprised," Paco Quevedo said, translating for her.
Behind him, his mother and father, Javier, fairly beamed at the supplies.
"She is very proud of the way everything is in order," Paco Quevedo said.
Carrie Calson, a marketing director for Salem's Grocery Outlets, said it's apparent to the company how much sweat-equity volunteers put into building the houses and that filling the cupboards was one simple way Grocery Outlet could help out.
"We'll definitely be involved when the next one comes up," Carrie Carlson said.
"It's so great to have the wide range of community partnerships," Gaupo said after the dedication. "It's nice to have that immediate feeling of going house to home."
From the Turlock Journal (Turlock, California):
Habitat for Humanity house
Tuesday, April 10, 2007 11:39 PM PDT
Home goes to Turlock milker & his family
Habitat for Humanity, Stanislaus dedicated a home to Jaime and Carmen Enriquez 10 a.m. Saturday. The home is located at 1370 West Avenue South in Turlock.
It is sponsored by Coldwell Banker Endsley & Associates, JKB Homes Corporation, Modesto Junior College Civic Engagement in Action Project, HUD, City of Turlock/Stanislaus County HOME Consortium and Dr. and Mrs. Rex Anderson.
The refrigerator, pantry and cupboards were stocked by Grocery Outlet who also provided household cleaners and toiletries. The donated items are valued at a total of $400 and a $100 gift card was presented to the Enriquez as a bonus.
The family was chosen from hundreds of families at Habitat for Humanity's annual orientation.
They did not have enough room where they were living but that will soon change as they move into their new Habitat home.
“He's a Turlock milker for a dairy farm. Agriculture plays a critical and vital role in this community and he is a great employee,” said Anita Hellam, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, about why Jaime's family is deserving of the Habitat home.
“House prices are soaring. He can't save up enough and doesn't earn enough. This is the only way for him to buy a home,” she added.
Jaime has also labored in the fields. He, with his family, traveled around California and never had a home to call their own. He wanted his wife and sons to have a new and better life. His sons are Jose, 9, Moses, 5, and Daniel, 2.
Alan Cassidy, president of Habitat for Humanity, kicked off Saturday's event by welcoming all who were in attendance. Pastor Rojas of Refugio de Amor then led the opening prayer and house blessings before Cassidy began the hand off.
Jaime Enriquez followed with homeowner's remarks. A Bible and dictionary was presented to the Enriquez family by Al Valdez who is in the Family Support Committee for Habitat for Humanity.
Modesto Junior College Director of Operations, Judith Lanning, made a speech; A Habitat tree was donated by Bill Burchell of Burchell Nursery Inc.; and Grocery Outlet owners and operators, Gama and Sherri Magallanes, also had a few words to say before a Cross-Stitch Sampler plaque was presented by Mary Bertken of River Valley Stitcher.
Closing statements were made by Hellam.
Afterward, guests were invited to a walk through of the house with the family. At that time, they discovered the groceries. They had not been informed about it to keep it a surprise.
“We've done this a few times in other places. The Grocery Outlet family does really well with helping people,” said Grocery Outlet's vice president of marketing, Jon Wylie.
Although the company has had philanthropic projects in the past, it is their first year of participating in a Habitat for Humanity effort.
Sherri Magallanes said, “We're happy to be a part of it. We've waited two years to be involved.”
Habitat for Humanity was the first contact she made when looking to work with an organization to help the community.
Grocery Outlet's interest in giving back began after the events of Hurricane Katrina.
“When Katrina hit back in the East. We sent proceeds back. Last year we decided that we needed to find a way to give back. Our family to whichever family,” said Magallanes.
About why Grocery Outlet provided the Enriquez's with food, she said, “It's hard to buy food. It makes someone's day.”
“Myself and my husband want to make their (the Enriquez's) lives better,” she added.
The Magallanes' sons were present at the dedication.
“I really think they enjoyed it. We've been involved in many community kindness acts. The joy in their faces to see joy in the (Enriquez's) kids' faces is unforgettable,” said Magallanes.
“It's going to be a hard one to top. We plan to continue to work with Habitat for Humanity. Grocery Outlet is starting a feed a family program. We'll work with local non-profit groups to feed a family a month and give them $100 gift cards,” said Magallanes about future projects of Grocery Outlet.
“We wrote a grant for a little over half a million dollars. The grant funder was HUD,” explained Lanning.
She encourages students, faculty, and staff of MJC to play an active role in the community.
“Students came to work on this beside their professor from math class and the president. As a community college, we believe in community,” she said.
This is the third time MJC has supported a community project and the second time that they have partnered with Habitat for Humanity.
“It's a gift to be able to give back,” said Lanning.
“It started as a brainchild outreach. We're concerned about transportation and adequate housing. We have some students who live in cars,” she said.
“Through student learning, students learn by doing,” she added.
“We are working toward more affordable housing in community. It is an educational experience for students, faculty, and staff so we were a perfect match for this project,” said Lanning.
Hellam explains that the location was acquired through Habitat for Humanity's partnership with the City of Turlock's public works. HOME consortium funds paid for the lot of land.
“The need is really huge. We're producing fewer homes than we actually could. We could do 20 per year in the Stanislaus County,” she said.
When Hellam extended her invitation to Coldwell Banker Endsley & Associates to get involved with Habitat for Humanity, Bob Endsley agreed and referred them to JKB Homes.
Both companies have since provided major support for Habitat for Humanity for many years. They are both firmly committed to giving back to the community where they live and work.
Sponsors and supporters of Habitat for Humanity, Stanislaus continue to work together to develop solutions to the affordable housing challenge by providing homes for deserving families throughout our county.
The dedication marked the end of a five year wait to move in.
“We're very happy. Very excited,” said Carmen Enriquez.
“We are going to sleep comfortably and the kids will be having fun all around the house,” she added.
“I'm so happy that this family finally has a great place to live but sad that more people don't,” said Hellam.
By FIONA CHIN
From the Business Journal (Sacramento, California):
Discount grocer moving in to former Ralphs, Co-op locations
Grocery Outlet replaces others who vacated the area due to poor sales
Sacramento Business Journal - April 6, 2007
by Kelly Johnson
Staff Writer
Grocery Outlet Inc. has landed sites in Granite Bay and Elk Grove, its eighth and ninth stores in the Sacramento region.
The discount grocer will take a former Ralphs Grocery Co. store at 4080 Douglas Blvd. in Granite Bay and the former Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op store at 8517 Bond Road in Elk Grove. The stores are 25,441 square feet and 20,000 square feet, respectively, and should open this summer.
From the Tri-City Voice (Fremont, California):
The two minute drill
Grocery Outlet in Newark was a whirlwind of activity on Friday morning. Shoppers were careful to leave adequate room along the aisles of bargains that occupy shelves and refrigeration units for two lucky winners of a free timed shopping spree. For the two winners, the thought paramount in their minds was how long time can seem to be in some instances and yet, when each tick of the clock has extreme significance, time appears to compress; it becomes questionable whether there are really 60 seconds in each minute.
Newark resident Pam Houps had two minutes...exactly 120 ticks of the second-hand on the clock! For that period of time, she frantically pushed a grocery cart and scooped as many groceries as possible into it during her free shopping spree. This single mom was one of the winners of a contest held by Len and Jo Ann Wesson, co-owners and operators of the Newark Grocery Outlet.
Primed by previous shopping trips and recent visits to reconnoiter key store locations, Houps ended up filling three carts with a mountain of frozen meats and fish for her home freezer and one on loan at Fremont Christian School where she has worked for 23 years. With friends and relatives cheering her on and counting out the time, Pam was able to load up over $500 of merchandise. At the Grocery Outlet, where the emphasis is on value and bargains are expected, the merchandise in the carts was probably equivalent to twice the dollar amount at other stores.
A companion shopping spree was donated to the Salvation Army in Newark. This created an opportunity for Capt. Julius Murphy to demonstrate his prowess in finding key items to restock the shelves of their pantry that had been depleted over the Christmas holidays. Although some items had been decimated by the Houps invasion, Captain Murphy was resourceful and managed to bring in close to $400 of groceries, mostly meats and fish from the frozen food section as well.
The Wessons explained that their store is part of a large Berkeley-based group of 125 stores in six western states and Hawaii. These mostly independently-owned markets use a unique central system of buyers throughout the United States to take advantage of overstocks, closeouts and promotional items from large food processors to offer products at sensational prices to their customers. Each store is able to select those items deemed most appropriate for its marketplace. The result is a store stocked with values unmatched at other discount chains. Products from groceries to wine and sundries can be found at Grocery Outlet, usually at extremely deep discounts.
When asked about brands that are unfamiliar, Len explained that although they may be unknown at local markets, these are often name brands in other parts of the country. Grocery Outlet buys much of its merchandise from major manufacturers such as Kraft, Best Foods, Heinz, and Hunts. Unlike many of the "big box" stores where food is often found in mega containers, Grocery Outlet sells its merchandise singly and in regular size containers so the dilemma of buying five items to get the three that you really wanted is avoided. An efficient distribution system makes sure that date stamped items reach consumers well within the time recommended by manufacturers.
Even though there were only two lucky winners of the shopping spree contest, others who frequent Grocery Outlet have found the store to be a "treasure hunt" of values. This unusual store takes advantage of buying opportunities, so merchandise displayed one week will not necessarily be available the next. Staple items such as dairy and produce are usually available at Grocery Outlet. For those who have yet to take advantage of this unique store, it is worth a trip to Newark's Old Town to see what you are missing. Grocery Outlet is a clean, well-maintained store that is sure to reward a search for special bargains
Grocery Outlet
36601 Newark Blvd.
Newark
(510) 791-5124
From the Auburn Journal (Auburn, CA):
Tonya Malcolm, of Auburn, piles groceries into her cart during a two-minute shopping spree at Grocery Outlet Friday. "... (When) I got a phone call on Christmas Eve that I had won, I didn't know what to say," Malcolm said. The drawing was set for two minutes, or $300, but Grocery Outlet owners John and Nancy Stevens decided to let Malcolm keep everything she collected, which totaled $457.05. "What the heck, it's New Year's," John Stevens said. Grocery Outlet is sponsoring a program to feed needy families in the Auburn area. If you know someone in need, or would like to donate, write to Grocery Outlet and explain in 50 words or less why the family needs help. Include the name, phone number and address to: 414 Grass Valley Highway, Auburn, CA 95608.
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