Survey Results are in! The People Are Ready for a Co-op

In late 2024, with help from the Neighborhood Design Center, we launched a big community survey to hear directly from our neighbors about food access and their interest in a co-op grocery store. We mailed 12,000 postcards and offered the survey both online and on paper. Our outreach team showed up everywhere - at food pantries, wellness events, churches, schools, libraries, apartment lobbies, senior centers, childcare centers, and more, to make sure as many voices as possible were included.

Here’s what we heard loud and clear from the 956 people who responded (from 53 ZIP codes!):

• Most respondents live nearby — 66% came from the Near East Side (43203, 43205, 43219)

• Fresh produce is hard to find — 79% said there’s little or no access to fresh fruits and veggies

• Grocery stores aren’t close — 76% travel more than 3 miles to buy groceries

• Many aren’t satisfied — 67% said they’re unhappy with current grocery options

• People are ready for a co-op — 94% want to shop at the co-op and 81% want to become members

• There’s strong support for our values — 97% want the co-op to support local farmers, and 96% want it to give back to the community

• Volunteers are showing up — Over 530 people said they’d like to help launch the co-op

The message is clear: the need for a community-owned grocery store is real, and our neighbors are ready to make it happen. The Bronzeville Food Co-op isn’t just about food - it’s about building a healthier, more connected neighborhood where fresh food is a right, not a privilege, and where our dollars stay in the community to create good jobs, support local farmers, and repair past harms. Click here to read the Bronzeville Food Co-op Community Survey Key Findings.

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DOWNLOAD OUR SURVEY FINDINGS