Metcalfe County residents survive each week in a ‘food desert,’ driving over 20 miles to surrounding areas for groceries. A regional development organization partnering with local governments hopes a new grant will change that.
The Metcalfe County community has struggled to maintain a reliable, full-service grocery store, forcing residents to drive 20 or more miles to fill their pantries.
The Barren River Area Development District, or BRADD, is now seeking qualified applicants to build what would be the only full-service grocery store in Metcalfe County.
Judge Executive Larry Wilson said most residents drive to grocery stores in areas like Glasgow or Columbia. Wilson said this severely affects their community members, especially those on a fixed income.
“If gas is expensive, and food is expensive, by the time they make a trip to another town, it cuts back on what money they have left to buy the groceries they need,” Wilson said.
BRADD has classified Metcalfe as a food desert where residents live more than 10 miles from a reliable grocery store.
Edmonton City Clerk Dawn Devore said that the DG Market residents currently use to get groceries in town doesn’t have the inventory everyone needs, like fresh meat, vegetables, and dairy.
She added those who use programs like WIC – the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children – have no way of utilizing their Grocery Benefits in Metcalfe.
“They can’t spend it in your community; they have to travel to use it,” Devore said. “If you’re in need to give it, you might not have the resources to travel to make sure you can use those funds.”
Wilson said that it's not just residents on a fixed income that are severely impacted by their lack of a full-service grocery store. Aging residents also find it difficult to consistently and affordably stock their fridge.
He recently visited a local senior center where almost every resident he spoke to said they struggle getting groceries.
“A lot of them have to depend on other people to do it for them,” Wilson said. “If you’re out of milk, you might have to wait three or four days before someone can get it for you.”
Devore said after many failed attempts to attract a grocery store through Community Development Block Grants and funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission, the city of Edmonton and Metcalfe leaders decided to try attracting a grocery store themselves.
The city of Edmonton contributed $75,000 to the project, with an additional $500,000 from Metcalfe County Fiscal Court.
The grocer awarded through the application process will receive the total sum of $1.25 million in reimbursements within the first five years of the grocery store’s opening date.
BRADD is overseeing the 30-day application process, which runs from August 12th through September 14th. After reviewing applicants, BRADD will then present a suggested candidate to city and county officials based on community needs.
Russ Hurd is the Director of Community and Economic Development at BRADD. He said their internal committee will review applicants through a point-based system built around four categories: business strategy, site and project timeline, financial health of the grocer, and local economic impact.
Hurd said not only will these applications bring a reliable full-service grocer to the residents of Metcalfe, but after its construction and implementation, it will boost economic growth and stability within the community.
“If there’s any prospective companies or businesses looking to relocate there, one of the first things they would want to know is whether there is a grocery store available," Hurd said. “This will also enhance attracting future businesses as well.”
