Margie's Market brings nutritious food options to Sarasota's Newtown

Margie's Market feeds community needs

Margie's Market offers free, fresh, healthy and nutritional food items. At first glance, it looks just like a grocery store, but it's actually operated by All Faith's Food Bank. FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Margie's Market is now open in Sarasota's Newtown community.

At first glance, it looks just like a grocery store, but it's actually operated by All Faith's Food Bank.

All Faith's had been serving the community, but after a conversation with residents, they learned much more was needed to be done.

That's where they came up with the idea of a food market.

Margie's Market is bringing healthy and nutritious options to the area which have been lacking for years.

Shelves are fully stocked with everything to feed the community at Margie's Market in Sarasota's Newtown.

"It makes me want to cry, not just sad cry, but a good cry," said Bonnie Hardy. 

Bonnie Hardy is a resident of Newtown. 

She said the market is bringing fresh food which had been lacking in the area. 

"It means I can come get a meal for a week or so and then I’ll be able to pay my light bill, my rent, or do something. Get medicine. It’s hard times right now and gas going up again," said Hardy.

Located inside the Goodwill Manasota Job Connection Center at 1781 Dr. Martin Luther King Way, the market offers one-stop access to food along with vital employment and support services.

"What people wanted was choice, agency and dignity and the ability to come to shop when they want to, and we felt like we could do that," said Nelle Miller, the President and CEO of All Faith's Food Bank.

The market is located within walking distance for residents.

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"We did a lot of mapping and gapping where the meal gaps were, and we know this is a very densely populated area and a lot of people here don’t have cars because they don’t really need cars, but they can’t get to distributions and Publix and carry everything 3 miles away. This is local. This is proximate," said Miller.

Big picture view:

All Faiths Food Bank says no one will be turned away and if you're new to their services, all you have to do is register by phone or in person to shop at Margie's Market.

"It's everything that a person that doesn’t have transportation can come to, and you have a choice of food that you can get. There’s other areas that can help us as a human being, to make choices for our life. It can be done here and I love it. I’m so excited," said Diane Hicks.

Lifelong Newtown resident Diane Hicks said Margie's Market is a very welcome addition to the community.

"This is what has been missing in Newtown, and please come and enjoy and come and enjoy. I am. Come and join me," said Hicks.

Everything is free. The Charles and Margery Baranick Foundation contributed more than $700,000 in grants to support the market's first year of operations.