StarkFresh is doing extraordinary things in the heart of its community. I have never been surrounded by such caring, friendly people, doing so many positive activities for others at once, as when I am involved in StarkFresh. I enjoy being a part of something so big and with such a positive impact. Looking forward to even more growth!
It has been my great pleasure and honor to work with the staff and volunteers as an Americorps VISTA volunteer. These people "walk the talk" every day when it comes to tackling the causes of hunger in Canton by creating innovative programming to get more people access to nutritious food that may not otherwise be able. Addressing the causes of hunger is a multi-layered task and StarkFresh had done an amazing job of adapting to the needs of the community and providing programs that will help individuals prosper. I am proud to have be a part of this year of dynamic growth!
Some time ago, a friend of mine asked me if I could help with this nonprofit she volunteers with. I was not busy so I said "sure" after that first volunteer visit I feel in love with this organization. Stark Fresh fight for their comunity, to connect people to ways in which they can better themselves and to connect with organic locally source foods. Stark Fresh has also open my eyes to Comunity outreach and connecting with my neighbors
The staff is doing everything in their power to make StarkFresh a community resource that is available to all, and they all have amazing, innovative programs to address the issues of poverty, hunger, and inequality. I highly recommend volunteering, working, or supporting this organization in any way you can!
This Charity works very hard to reach out to the community. John Taylor has done an outstanding job gathering resources for StarkFresh and implementing new ideas.
StarkFresh is committed to fighting for equity and addressing food apartheid in the Stark County community. I am only just beginning to learn about StarkFresh’s impact and community engagement, and I am already so inspired by the work they do.
I can not say enough positive things about StarkFresh! From their mobile grocery market to their Food Safety Training classes, I have personally loved every service they offer. Not only are they doing great things in the community where they have their flagship grocery store, they’re now expanding out into the outer footprints of the county and making a difference for families and individuals who desperately need their services. Their mission of creating realistic pathways out of poverty has completely changed the lives of so many people in our community!
StarkFresh is setting a new standard as it relates to solving hunger in our community. We envision a Stark County where a culture of good nutrition creates a better quality of life, ultimately leading to a community that is rejuvenated and empowered. Longstanding systems in our country have deepened the connection between poverty and hunger, creating a problem that cannot simply be solved by distributing food. As we educate ALL who are seeking to understand the root causes of hunger, we are strengthening those we serve through action, not charity. Creating accessible grocery options that include low prices and additional incentives on SNAP purchases helps our neighbors stretch their food budget, while also providing nutritious options. Pathways out of poverty are a focus of StarkFresh because we believe that people who have the opportunity to learn with dignity can develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed. StarkFresh lessens barriers toward business ownership by offering access to its physical assets and providing guidance and opportunity through three core functions: training, business incubation, and a shared-use commercial kitchen. By tackling the causes of hunger through realistic pathways out of poverty, StarkFresh is creating meaningful change in our community.
SF does so much, but the non-profit grocery store near downtown Canton is the crown jewel and a great model for others to replicate.
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You won’t find a nonprofit in the county doing more good work with fewer resources. We don’t pretend that hunger isn’t directly linked to poverty, and we don’t pretend that throwing tax dollars and canned goods at the poverty problem will solve hunger. Educate yourself as to what really destroyed the once-thriving neighborhoods of Stark County and get involved with how we plan to restore these neighborhoods to their former glory. It’s going to take hard work and honest conversations, and that’s what we are all about.
StarkFresh realizes that hunger and poverty cannot be solved through charity alone. Their unique approach to providing affordable retail food solutions pared with , realistic opportunities for small business development is what should become the standard for what funders and agencies look to when trying to find solutions.
StarkFresh is doing a great job addressing food insecurity and food deserts and pathways out of poverty. It will improve as it grows its operations throughout stark county where there is need
I have been a volunteer and boardmember of starkfresh for 10years starkfresh has changed my life in so many ways . I'm always learning somnething new about how food impacts our total way of life.
I've also learned to be a much stronger confident person though my volunteer efforts and my board duties at starkfresh.
StarkFresh has an extraordinary mission of helping to solve the community’s food issues. Dedicated staff and volunteers work tirelessly to end food deserts and swamps In Stark County.
Starkfresh does a great job at trying to break down barriers that deal with food access and affordability. The location was well thought out - there was no grocery store in the area and it's located right next to a bus station. They consistently make sure the grocery store on Cherry is stocked with a wide range of food items- from in-store freshly made goods, local goods and products, vegan/vegetarian products and to free items like bread and other items, all at a decent price. They also give discounts for people that use a food stamp card, which is unlike any other location. They could improve on having items scan more easily and quickly.
I am very pleased with the StarkFresh Grocery Store and the Mobile Food Truck. The Grocery Store is easily accessible since it is very close to the bus station. If you are unable to come into the store their Mobile Food Truck has weekly stops throughout the local community. You can call ahead and place your order and pick it up at one of the delivery stops! I just love their fresh produce that they grow at their local farm. I shop with StarkFresh weekly.
I recently joined Starkfresh as the Suppertime Meals Development Coordinator. I am proud to be working with these people that are so dedicated to food justice and helping people get access to healthy affordable food. We look to expand our services by offering ready-to-heat meals at affordable prices and meet a wider range of needs for our community.
Between The Mobile Grocery Market and Grocery Store, StarkFresh is killing it with the food accessibility game in Stark County.
StarkFresh is a lifeline for those of us living in downtown Canton. We haven't had a viable option to get fresh produce or other groceries for a long time and the Grocery Store helps us with this.
The prices are very fair. Its a big plus that Starkfresh takes food stamps and WIC. There aren't many things that you need and can't find, even in the smaller space provided (compared to other grocery stores). What Starkfresh stands for is the most important thing and it makes you want to be a part of their team in any way. The staff is also pretty awesome.
I am honored to be a part of a great organization that not only feeds the community but also educates the community on the need for opportunities beyond food injustice. The goal is not only to break the chains of poverty but assist people with the tools to live a better life and pass that on to the next generation.
I moved to Ohio recently from NY and just joined the board of directors in a volunteer role. This organization is wonderful! They have so many services to support the community. Every city should have an organization like StarkFresh: community gardening, learning opportunities, access to inexpensive healthy options, and opportunities to help entrepreneurs!! I'm super excited to help volunteer in several spaces, particularly the garden and supporting the store.
StarkFresh is a small, but mighty organization whose invaluable work has made a significant difference towards improving the lives of Stark County residents young and old. From a neighborhood grocery store in a food apartheid to a mobile grocery market bringing farm-fresh produce and grocery staples to those living in areas with high rates of food insecurity, StarkFresh has worked hard for over a decade to develop robust initiatives and meet the needs of the community. Not only that, but they also offer great educational opportunities for those looking to start their own business or learn more about nutrition/cooking/farming!
StarkFresh is a great organization that has strong ties to the Canton and Stark County community. They are in tune with the needs of the area and are constantly looking for new ways to not only get involved, but to create new programs and opportunities to tackle the causes of hunger and create realistic pathways out of poverty.
StarkFresh has a great mission and vision to help fight hunger in Stark County. The programming, opportunities and resources they provide not only help provide access to food through the Mobile Market, a Neighborhood Grocery Store, or free seed library, but they are focused on tackling the causes of hunger by providing education, employment opportunities, and so much more.
StarkFresh is a very interesting and unique non-profit. Their mission of tackling the causes of hunger and creating realistic pathways out of poverty isn't an easy one, but one the staff and volunteers work tirelessly at. Many people may be familiar with StarkFresh by seeing the Grocery Store and Mobile Market (aka the Veggie Mobile!), but there are several other programs as well that provide opportunities to educate and help support individuals starting their own businesses. Check out their grocery store and mobile market to see for yourself! An exciting and growing non-profit, it is an asset to the Stark County community.
One of the best parts of being involved with StarkFresh is seeing the difference it's making. It's not all words and hope, impacts are actually being made through its mobile grocery market, new grocery store, and other projects. I can't speak higher about this organization and the good it is doing for it's community.
I am completely disabled and Starkfesh is great with easy access for my wheelchair. My wife is able to push me through while I hold the basket and choose which fruits and vegetables I would like to eat during the week. I never know what the meal plan will be before rolling in because each trip will bring new specials in and it always makes me feel like one of those fancy chefs going to a farmers market to get fresh produce to come up with a new dish for the day.
The people are friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. They make it a delight to come in every week.
What a diverse and energetic asset to our community- providing vital services, information and inspiring us to all do more. Most recently, they've opened a grocery store in a community with no access to fresh, healthy foods. So needed, so appreciated and so encouraging in these transformative times. Thanks StarkFresh!!
I’ve been getting produce from the Stark Fresh Mobile market for several years. My grandson and I go every week to the apartment building where my mom lived before she passed away. It’s a real treat for the residents to get fresh produce right outside their door. My grandson loves to interact with the workers and pick our produce for the week. This is an amazing service for the residents of Canton.
I got involved in this nonprofit organization To help people in need. Love the new grocery store downtown
While I've only worked with StarkFresh for a few months, I can honestly say that they live up to their mission and vision statements to create realistic pathways out of poverty. Rather than just providing short-term solutions to systemic issues, StarkFresh takes on the challenge each day to confront, dismantle, and eradicate existing systems that push the people of Stark County further into poverty. The staff is doing everything in their power to make StarkFresh a community resource that is available to all, and they all have amazing, innovative programs to address the issues of poverty, hunger, and inequality. I highly recommend volunteering, working, or supporting this organization in any way you can!
Amazing Mission! Working to reach people in a way that allows them to embrace where they are and make changes to better themselves. Outside the box thinking! This is not your normal non-profit. Check them out and support these valuable causes. Want to really know how to fight hunger? Get involved with Stark Fresh. Eye opening
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The energy and commitment poured into making this nonprofit a success is unmeasurable. If you are truly interested in changing the trajectory of poverty, reach outside of your comfort zone and see what is really going on at StarkFresh.
This group of young people are hardworking and dedicated to their mission and well being of the individuals they serve. They are constantly strategizing to finds ways to lessen the burden of others in the community. Observing their progress over the summer months to achieve their goal of the mobile grocery market and most recently the grocery on cherry street which also provides access to healthy foods for low income individuals is remarkable. I strongly feel this organization will impact many lives very positively in the upcoming years. I am looking forward to their next project to help battle hunger and poverty in Stark County.
Stark Fresh has brought to life innovated thinking and action to create access to nutritious food for a disenfranchised population within the Greater Canton community. With the opening of its new micro-grocery store, residents now have the opportunity to purchase fresh produce and meat in a safe and properly sanitized environment opposed to shopping at neighborhood gas stations. Stark Fresh is one of the community champions of the year!
StarkFresh is an organization with a mission that anyone should want to support. They truly align their actions with their vision for the Canton community and that is something to be respected. They have touched so many lives through their efforts and will continue to do so with support from the local community. I definitely recommend and support the great work they do.
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Working with this organization has been one of the most eye opening experiences of my life. StarkFresh is a boots on the ground, honest and authentic organization who really does its’ best to help our community. From feeding people to educating the masses, StarkFresh members work diligently to reach our community members from every touch point.
StarkFresh is not just another organization treating the symptoms of food insecurity, they are part of the solution to ending it. After years of volunteering with StarkFresh I have witnessed the organization transition from providing education to alleviate hunger within the community, to providing a solution of sustainability, in the form of a grocery store. I look forward to watching as StarkFresh continues to grow.
StarkFresh is such a passionate organization with tireless leaders. They have gathered a group who share huge hearts and want only the healthiest food options for the community. There are so many ways they work to reach people throughout the community and have worked so hard to make fresh, healthy food accessible by taking it to areas or opening their doors for everyone. Their teaching opportunities have also provided ways to help people learn how to grow their own food, which is another level of commitment to the community. They are an amazing asset to our area.
StarkFresh does the work that everyone should be doing in a community that they care about. The projects that StarkFresh carries out effects everyone in Canton--whether residents know it or not. From the mobile markets that serve a large swath of an underserved population to the urban farm projects that allow kids and adults to gain skills as well as see where food comes from, the work being done at StarkFresh has never ending benefits for the community.
StarkFresh does amazing work in the area on a very limited budget, addressing a variety of food, nutrition and economic development issues through very creative solutions. Good quality food is brought to elderly people, those who are mobility challenged and individuals in areas suffering from food apartheid at a fair price on the mobile grocery. Three urban farms provide fresh produce for the mobile grocery and other locations, as well as a multitude of training and teaching programs. Land at the Cooperative Farm is also used by urban farmers and beekeepers in a mutually beneficial symbiosis. The new Food Justice Campus, in downtown Canton offers a shared use commercial kitchen, shared use office space, community space and will soon include a grocery store. Work is underway on a supermarket in SE Canton, that will serve an area that has been deprived of quality food at a fair price for decades. Other projects in the works include Suppertime Meals, a flavorful, nutrient dense, ready to heat meal that can be purchased by individuals or institutions. In addition to addressing food related issues, StarkFresh is working to create multiple new jobs and opens the doors for local entrepreneurs to begin their business journeys. StarkFresh does so much for so many in the area, "tackling causes of hunger by creating realistic pathways out of poverty".
StarkFresh does an incredible job of providing produce and sustainable food resources to those in food deserts in Stark County. A great cause to support!
Proud to be a volunteer of this awesome organization that continues to innovate and educate ways to combat systematic poverty and provide equitable food access throughout Stark County. Check out #StarkFresh
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Tom and his team have been delivering fruit to us every month at the end of the month. They are always on time and the produce is always delicious. We can't thank them enough for all the hard work they do at StarkFresh.
Several of us have also volunteered at StarkFresh and we are so impressed with the great things that have been put in place.
StarkFresh has opened up opportunities for the students that we serve. This opportunity has given them a chance to engage in learning and vocational skill building activities. We are so thankful!!!
StarkFresh provides a wonderful service to our community by bridging the gap so that otherwise "food deserts" are able to have access to fresh vegetables and fruits plus other foods at extremely affordable prices. The dedication that Tom and Teresa have to this community and the passion they bring to this organization is to be admired; they continually look for ways to improve and expand this organization while always taking into account the needs of the community. Thank you, Tom and Teresa!
Starkfresh is a great organization, filling a real need in the Stark County area. In addition to an urban teaching farm, they distribute fresh fruits and vegetables to seniors and those in food deserts. The energy and passion of the staff is wonderful to see!
When Thorne's closed we lost the only way to shop for fresh food. Having a StarkFresh stop near my home each week helped me be able to afford to eat healthier and get back on my diet.
The StarkFresh Veggie Mobile was a lifesaver for me and my family. Being able to afford healthy food for our family of 5 is an increasing struggle for us. Being able to have my Direction card matched so I could purchase more food with it was a godsend.
StarkFresh continues to be a leader in the local food system in Stark County, OH. Their dedication to look at the larger picture and work with others to tackle all areas of the food supply is quite impressive.
StarkFresh is doing amazing work in this community, providing access to healthy, locally-grown food to those who need it most. I'm so proud to be involved with this organization!
The best place to get produce during the summer months without breaking the bank. Love, love, love StarkFresh.
StarkFresh leads initiatives in our community that bring fresh food and access to Stark County. Their mobile market, urban farming and extensive seed library are just a few of the projects that bring awareness and action to food insecurity. Tom and Teresa are passionate leaders that have brought a nonprofit leading change for our community.
What an excellent idea! You can tell the workers and volunteers really pour their hearts into brining food to food deserts.
I really loved the 5k Turtle Crawl.
It brought people into one of the food deserts, that they were unaware of.
I also donated a relaxation basket, that was well received.
Keep up the good work!
Stark Fresh are truly out there trying to make a real difference in my community.not just handshakes, candy and thumbs up to every passerby. This community has alot of malnourished children and even adults and stark fresh is out there every day pushing forward and helping the community. I'm proud that I've help in any small way that I can
StarkFresh is always doing innovative things to make Canton better. They're a small team of 2 + Americorps volunteers, so their output is incredible. From their urban teaching farms to their veggie mobiles to their Better Blocks and community grocery store development, they're making real change in Stark County.
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Love the veggie mobile it is great to be able to go and get fruit and veggies and know their from local farmers
Although I do not live in the area served by Stark Fresh I really believe in the mission of bringing fresh food to urban food deserts and teaching homeowners how to garden and produce fresh veggies for their families much as I do in my own raised beds. To help with the goals of Stark Fresh a group of fiber artists who raise fiber animals save wool . llama and alpaca fiber that is not up to standard for fiber processing and I take it to the Stark Fresh greenhouse location to be recycled as bedding mulch and erosion control for new gardens.
I've seen first hand how wonderful the employees and volunteers are...they are passionate about what they do and it's for a really great cause!
As co-chair for the Stark County Library Seed Bank StarkFresh has donated seeds to our free Seed bank so that others can experience the fun of gardening and pride in growing your own food! Also StarkFresh donated seed potatoes for the Downtown Canton Community garden on 5th St. NW which everyone loved! Thank you StarkFresh
Dottie Hockenberry
What I like most about StarkFresh is their ability to listen to the needs of the community, and create or adapt their programming to address those needs. They focus on helping provide meaningful solutions to the food insecurity issues throughout Stark County, OH. My favorite program that they have is their Mobile Grocery Market program where they deliver fresh produce and other grocery staples right to the door of those who need it most. They see to have a real drive to help their community, and not exploit or try to benefit for themselves. StarkFresh is one of the most selfless groups I have had the pleasure to encounter. They truly are a gem for our community.
StarkFresh does an incredible job of getting produce to individuals who have limited access to fresh food. Looking forward to watching this organization grow and the positive impact it will have for my community.
StarkFresh teaches gardening and cooking skills, reclaim unused land to grow food and distribute food to inner city residents. They are a great group to work with.
My mother was very disappointed that she did not get her coupons this year. She had them before and she didn't get them. We called and left messages to sign her up. No one returned the phone calls. Sad part about it is that in previous years at the Massillon's farmer market I have seen people selling the coupons for money and they had stacks of coupons. When we asked about it they said they gave them out through a lottery system. We have friends in Cuyahoga county who go the coupons this year and they had no problems and no lottery system.
starkfresh 10/20/2021
StarkFresh has nothing to do with voucher reimbursement, this is done on the community level through Area on Aging and some areas are better than others we have found . We have no knowledge of when, how or where they distribute these vouchers to the public.