What’s happening: Pontiac Street Market recently launched an online grocery ordering and home delivery service for residents within the City of Fort Wayne. For a limited time, the service is free to use, with no delivery fees or item minimums.
Orders can be placed through the store’s website or app and orders placed before noon can be delivered on the same day. All drop-offs are contactless for safety and convenience.
What they’re saying: “Pontiac Street Market is more than a grocery store and we know barriers exist. We wanted to be able to provide food access to all people within our community,” says Market Director LaQueisha Brown.
Still in the works: Shoppers using programs like SNAP, WIC, or Double Up are unable to redeem their benefits through the new delivery service. Market leaders say they’re working to make that possible, but it will take time to incorporate those benefits into the delivery system.
Why it’s important: The new service
makes it easier for Fort Wayne residents to shop for produce, pantry staples and other household essentials. While the program does not make it less expensive to access food, it does help Fort Wayne residents who have limited transportation options or busy schedules.
The market, located in Southeast Fort Wayne, was built in
an area defined as a food desert and opened in 2023 with the goal of bringing fresh, local produce, locally sourced goods, and other essentials to residents.
The market itself was created out of a need
pinpointed in the Southeast Strategy Update. As previously reported by Input Fort Wayne, approximately
14 percent of people in Allen County, including nearly 20,000 children, are considered food insecure. The market is supported via a number of
local partnerships, which include organizations such as the City of Fort Wayne, St. Joseph Community Health Foundation, Parkview Health, Surack Family Foundation and Johnnie Mae Farm.
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