LEAF has approved a loan for Rhode Island food cooperative Urban Greens Co-Op Market. Located on Cranston Street in Providence. The market provides local, healthy food to consumers of all income levels. The Co-op opened on June 27, 2019 and has over 1200 members. Member-owners are driven by the market’s mission to “be open to all and support the health and well-being of our customers by offering nutritious, affordable food that is sustainably sourced, culturally inclusive, and supportive of local food”.
Urban Greens features locally sourced goods from farmers, fishermen, and specialty food producers in Rhode Island and throughout New England. This responsible supply chain’s development was aided by a survey of local farmers launched by Urban Greens in 2014, which was then analyzed by community partners at Brown University.
The market offers a “Co-op Basics” program that offers an assortment of staple items at affordable prices, allowing the store to compete with even the lowest prices found at conventional chain stores. Additionally, Urban Greens staff provide health and nutrition education programming in a variety of languages, maximizing access not just to healthy food, but also to the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain a healthy diet.