Cultivate Hope Corner Store brings healthy food at affordable price to Time Check neighborhood

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - The Cedar Rapids based non-profit Matthew 25 held a grand opening for its new Cultivate Hope Corner Store on Wednesday.

Located at 604 Ellis Blvd. in Cedar Rapids on the corner of Ellis Blvd. and E Ave, the non-profit grocery store is bringing affordable, healthy and fresh food to a neighborhood previously marked as a food desert by the USDA. The Cultivate Hope Corner Store will offer a convenient, walkable place for neighbors to shop, and also to gather.

The flood of 2008 damaged many homes and buildings in the Time Check neighborhood, and Matthew 25 has worked in the community for more than a decade to restore hope and access to healthy food.

The store is in the Hosmer building, which is more than 100 years old, and previously served as a grocery store from 1933-1967. Now, people in the Time Check neighborhood can stop by for grocery basics like bread, milk and cheese, fresh produce, or even pick up an already prepared meal for as little as $4.

Part of the mission of the Cultivate Hope Corner Store is to offer knowledge on how to work with the fresh foods it offers. A small seating area in the store will be utilized for educational workshops covering a variety of topics, including preparation and storage of fresh foods. Classes will be led by Matthew 25 staff, representatives from Iowa State University and other community partners.

The store’s regular hours are 8 am-8 pm, Monday-Saturday.

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