Mercadito Mutual Aid Market Re-launch
We are proud to announce the re-launch of the Mercadito Mutual Aid Market with the below-listed changes that will provide 100 families a month with culturally reflective food in a safe and dignified environment that takes into account the fears and obstacles of our current political climate.
The GPLXC Mercadito plays a vital role in our community by providing culturally reflective food to primarily Latinx immigrant families, addressing food insecurity and social determinants of health. Since its inception in March 2020, it has served hundreds of families a month, becoming a vital lifeline for many of our neighbors. This means that families accessing food had to stand in long lines, often wrapping around the block for hours at a time. Due to the hostile political climate and threat to immigrant communities, our team has worked around the clock to restructure our Mercadito Mutual Aid Market in a way that is safer and more convenient.
Improvements and Changes
To better serve our community and ensure a safe and dignified experience for all participants, we have implemented several key changes:
New Client Management System: We've introduced a secure and efficient client management system capable of handling over 800 families, streamlining the process of accessing our services.
Private Appointment System: To eliminate long lines and wait times, we've implemented a private appointment system that provides added security and peace of mind for participants.
Streamlined Volunteer Process: We've made it easier than ever for volunteers to get involved and support our mission by streamlining our volunteer application and onboarding process.
Community Feedback: To ensure we're meeting the needs of our community, we've conducted surveys of 100 families to gather feedback and insights.
Impact Tracking: We've invested in software to track the impact of our services, allowing us to measure our progress and identify areas for improvement.
Culturally Relevant Food: We're deepening our commitment to providing culturally relevant food by purchasing high-quality products from local Latinx-owned distributors.
Relaunch Date
The Mercadito Mutual Aid Market will officially relaunch in May 2025, with appointments for 100 families to receive groceries.
Our Commitment
We remain committed to providing a safe, dignified, and culturally sensitive environment for our community members to access essential resources. We believe that everyone deserves access to healthy, culturally relevant food, and we're proud to play a role in addressing food insecurity and promoting health equity in Gage Park.