The APS Goodr Grocery Store at The Hub is officially open. Photo credit: Adrian Williams, APS ©
Fresh produce and free groceries are now available to any Atlanta Public Schools (APS) student and family in need, thanks to the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony of the district’s second Goodr Grocery Store.
Located at the Student and Family Support Hub (The Hub), this initiative continues the district’s ongoing effort to combat food insecurity through its partnership with Goodr, an Atlanta-based company founded in 2017 that focuses on sustainable food waste management and hunger relief. The organization redirects surplus food to those in need through innovative logistics and technology.
Designed to serve 100-150 families monthly, the store offers a week’s worth of groceries to bridge gaps between paychecks. The focus on dignity is central to its operations.
Chelsea Montgomery, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services for Atlanta Public Schools. Photo credit: Adrian Williams, APS ©
“This is not a food pantry,” APS Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Chelsea Montgomery said. “It is a true grocery store experience with healthy food, produce, proteins, and shelf-stable items.”
Its arrival follows the success of the first Goodr store, launched in August 2023 at Jean Childs Young Middle School, which provides food to 200 families monthly.
The timing couldn’t be more critical. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, one in four families with children in metro Atlanta face food insecurity—a factor closely tied to educational outcomes.
“When you think about it, how many of our children aren’t themselves when they’re hungry?” Founder and CEO of Goodr Jasmine Crowe-Houston said. “You can’t teach through hunger. This store ensures that if you are an APS student, there is a place for you and your family to come when you need food.”
APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson stressed the importance of meeting basic needs and its correlation to fundamental academic success.
“As we work on student achievement, we remain hypersensitive to the reality that foundational needs must be met first,” Dr. Johnson said. “When I look at this store, I see excellence. From the fresh produce to the high-quality proteins, these are the items I’d want on my shelves at home. Our families deserve no less.”
Sechita McNair, an APS parent and one of the first shoppers in the new Goodr Grocery Store at The Hub. Photo credit: Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
For parents like Sechita McNair, the store is a lifeline. After the unexpected loss of her home and her daughter, a 10th-grader at Midtown High School, she has struggled to provide for her family.
“I had to divert all income to pay for the funeral unexpectedly,” McNair said. “This is significant right now and a lifesaver for me and my three boys because we need food.”
The store would not have been possible without the support of key partners, including the City of Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dickens’ Year of the Youth initiative, the Atlanta Sports Council, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
The Goodr Grocery Store at The Hub sponsors, APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson, and members of the Atlanta Board of Education.
Photo credit: Allison M. Slocum, APS ©
The College Football Playoff Foundation (CFP Foundation), also a major partner in the project, has a history of supporting the district. Since 2018, the foundation has invested $2 million in initiatives to improve literacy and build teacher confidence.
“The unique partnerships are the ones where we can sit down, explore what’s possible, and listen to the needs of the community,” CFP Foundation Executive Director Britton Banowsky said. “This partnership allowed us to design work that effects change.”
“We focus our efforts on K-12 education exclusively and in particular our teachers because we believe that teachers are the secret sauce in education,” he continued. “Without a great teacher in the classroom, we won’t have great student achievement.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony concluded with a market tour, during which parents, including McNair, could shop as the first guests of the APS Goodr Grocery Store. Montgomery also called for new toiletry and clothing donations for The Hub’s department store.
“I firmly believe that we are Atlanta, and we can rise up and support our kids with new items,” said Montgomery.
The Goodr Grocery Store at The Hub is located at 601 Dr. Thomas Cole Jr. Way, SW, and is currently serving families— just in time for the holidays.
Enjoy the below photo recap of the APS Goodr Grocery Store Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony. Photo credits: Allison M. Slocum and Adrian Williams, APS ©