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Students have opportunity to shop at pop-up market

The Daily Dispatch - 5/19/2021

May 19—HENDERSON — Working on Wellness (WOW) Coalition, Gang Free Inc, and United Healthcare partnered Tuesday for pop-up grocery markets at two Vance County elementary schools.

The pop-up grocery markets included fresh foods from the five food groups while also teaching students about financial literacy. Dabney and Clark elementary third- through fifth-grade students had fake money to purchase food for themselves and their families.

"The purpose of the pop-up shops is to fight food insecurity. We have a lot of children who eat at home, they'll be able to get at least three meals today," said Melissa Elliott, founder of Gang Free Inc.

Gang Free Inc. received a grant from United Healthcare and the Working on Wellness Coalition for $10,500 toward food for the pop-ups. Market options included sweet potatoes, watermelons, frozen protein, snack packs, cabbages, and so on.

The students were excited to shop and take home as much as possible. Many of the children talked about being excited for their moms to cook the food they had "brought."

"I'm so amazed and in awe of all the things that have been brought out for our students to have the opportunity to purchase items from the pop-up shop. I think it is a good idea for our students to understand the process of purchasing and understanding money," said Micheal Putney Sr., Dabney Elementary principal.

The pop-up markets were Gang Free's first pop-up shop at an elementary school. Gang Free is a non-profit organization focusing on empowering and educating individuals to live a life liberated from crime through innovative programming and services.

The Working on Wellness (WOW) Coalition works with organizations on partnering with people to help children live a healthy life in Vance and Granville counties.

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