A Monthly Reflection from BrightSide’s Executive Director, Justa Heinen-Kay
We are incredibly thrilled to be selected as a finalist for the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits’ Innovation in Mission award. This recognition is especially meaningful amongst all the organizations doing amazing work to make our state a better place for all to live. Also, significantly, this reflects something we’ve believed since BrightSide began: solving food access requires innovation across multiple, community-driven approaches.
We have a simple goal, for everyone — regardless of income, zip code, or immigration status — to have access to affordable, fresh produce. BrightSide’s focus on expanding fruit and vegetable availability is part of what sets us apart. Our work goes beyond hunger relief. Eating more fresh produce is critical for promoting both public health and environmental sustainability. When fruits and vegetables are a major component of folks’ diets, it is a win-win for people and the planet. Yet, healthy food access has remained a persistent, intractable problem in urban communities.
Complex problems require complex solutions, which is why BrightSide has developed a multi-pronged approach to fresh produce access that leverages community partnerships. Our Healthy Corner Store Program supports small businesses in food deserts, bringing fresh produce to the small stores where folks are already shopping, creating dozens of new healthy food access points. And our suite of Home Delivery programs overcome transportation barriers to bring fresh produce directly to the homes of those who need it most. For our Food as Medicine program, we partner with community clinics to bring produce to food-insecure folks experiencing chronic, diet-related conditions. And our grassroots Pay What You Can program fills critical gaps by providing a reliable source for high-quality fresh produce, a rarity at food shelves.
The real magic of BrightSide is how we harness the power of community to make it all happen. Partnerships with corner stores and community clinics ensure we are getting produce to the places where it is needed most. Mutual aid is the backbone of our funding mix. Revenue from our Online Farmers Market supports our mission-based Corner Store and Pay What You Can programs, and we rely on grassroots donors to fill in the gaps for our Pay What You Can program. And every week, volunteers ensure that our Pay What You Can customers can count on a steady supply of fresh produce.
All together, I am proud of the impact that BrightSide has made against some of the most intractable food security issues. Our creativity, risk taking, and strong community backbone helps us make the Twin Cities a healthier and more equitable place to live, for everyone.
Thank you for being part of our community. We couldn’t do it without you.