To increase access to nutritious, affordable food; foster community resiliency; and interrupt the cycle of multigenerational poverty within the Northside Wilmington, North Carolina, neighborhood–a historically disenfranchised area that is also a USDA-defined food desert.

In 2017, the Northside Health and Well-being Improvement Team, comprising local organizations and partners, conducted a comprehensive assessment of the community’s needs and wants. Survey results indicated a strong desire for a grocery store. From these results, the first Steering Committee for the Northside Food Co-op project was formed a year later. The committee was a collaboration between New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) and numerous local stakeholders invested in the health status and quality of life of Northside citizens. The committee gathered input on various aspects of well-being from both residents and professionals, aiming to address social, economic, and structural barriers, including food access.

The Northside of downtown Wilmington stands as a testament to the enduring impact of historical hardships on marginalized communities. Once a vibrant hub of Black entrepreneurship and culture during the late 1800s, boasting over fifty Black-owned grocery stores and food establishments, the community faced a devastating blow in 1898. The Wilmington coup d’état, the only successful one in U.S. history, resulted in the deaths of over 300 Black residents and left the neighborhood in ruins. This traumatic event set the stage for decades of systemic challenges, exacerbated by the nationwide ‘urban renewal’ projects of the 1970s, which further displaced communities of color. Today, the Northside still grapples with the consequences of this tumultuous history, notably evident in the absence of a grocery store for over three decades. This lack of access to fresh and affordable food highlights the enduring legacy of past injustices, underscoring the ongoing struggle for equity and economic empowerment within the community.