Goodr may be on everyone’s radar thanks to rapper Gunna’s partnership with the food insecurity nonprofit but none of it would be possible without the singular vision of founder Jasmine Crowe.
In a recent op-ed for Newsweek, Crowe explained why she continues her mission and is now offering a “free grocery store” for seniors.
“We began thinking about who else could benefit and what other population has the greatest need. We knew from my work with seniors that a lot are experiencing food insecurity. I personally have been working with seniors for 10 years; providing food in senior homes and buying groceries for individuals myself,” she explained.
And Crowe’s concerns are well-placed. According to a study by the National Council on Aging, about 7.3 million senior adults are considered “food insecure.” Seniors with disabilities, and those who live in southern and western states, are more likely to face food insecurity than those who are not disabled or who live in northern states. This is to say nothing of their compromised nutrition as a result of food insecurity.
That’s where a company like Goodr comes in. Not only do they provide free food for all, but they provide nutritious, senior-specific food for those in need, and it doesn’t end there.
“We also have adult diapers, throat antiseptic, indigestion and heartburn products and denture cleaner. The seniors can fill up their shopping basket with items each visit and return as many times as they want,” the Goodr CEO said in the piece.
Goodr also provides things like recipe stations, where seniors (and others) can look up their favorite recipes and take them home — or where they can get some new ideas for potential recipes with their new wares.
It’s a beautiful thing that Crowe, and others, are providing to the community in need.
What is Goodr?
In October 2021, Crowe sat down with AfroTech to discuss what Goodr meant to her, as a professional, and why it was important for her to establish Goodr — whose mission statement is basically to make sure that “everybody eats.”
“[Goodr] uses technology to solve hunger — that’s our big focus. I think we are taking a radically different approach to how this country solves hunger and food waste. A lot of times people say to me, ‘How is this a business? How can this be profitable?’ But, the main thing is people have to understand that billions of dollars get spent every year on food insecurity and trying to make sure people have access to food,” she said.