I remember the moment the trajectory of my life changed. I was starting my first community garden at the church where I pastored, and I asked a friend and gardening expert to share his insights. On that plot of land, we started discussing food insecurity.
The full impact of our community’s food ecosystem had never dawned on me before. From the lack of options for affordable and fresh produce to the health problems that come from a lack of good food and from the unhealthy food options dominating the market to the lack of access for people without cars, my eyes were opened. I saw what we needed to fix for our community.
Since then, I have been on a mission to turn our food desert into a food oasis withBattleField Farm.
What started as one community
garden has turned into community gardens, raised beds throughout neighborhoods, an urban farm and aVeggie Van to deliver fresh produce across our 37915 zip code.
In aUSDA-designated food desert, as well as afood swamp with unhealthy options contributing to widespreadhealth issues, this has changed the landscape. Offering healthy food and meeting our neighbors where they are has saved lives.
However, there is still work to do.
Food deserts and swamps persist until there is a permanent structure - four walls that will always be there when you need nutritious meals. With the nearest stores being too expensive, miles away, or not stocked with fresh food, it is clear that more is needed.
This is why we’re establishingThe ONE FIVE.
The ONE FIVE grocery will take the space of a former dollar store and replace it with an affordable, full-service grocery store - reclaiming a space once associated with limited food options and repurposing it into a source of fresh produce and nutritious meals in the heart of the community.
Our name reflects what is at the core of the project: access and community. It is called The ONE FIVE first because of the location we serve; the 37915 area, of course, ends with this identifier. I live, work, pray and play in the same zip code like all my neighbors, so this community is at the heart of the store.
But the name also fits because we will charge for items at only a nickel over cost - just five cents. The store exists to make healthy food truly affordable for the people it serves. Families shouldn’t have to suffer to eat, and that includes suffering from financial strain.
Even in the early stages of this project, the excitement of our community has been overwhelming. Already people are asking when we will open, and it motivates me to keep going and open soon.
This community makes our work possible. From the volunteers who will operate the store to the residents who will shop there and the community members who donate, it takes everyone working together to make this desert an oasis. The outpouring of support has ensured that this store will be a success.
Our goal was to raise $1.5 million, and we have already raised $500,000 thanks to the support of donors. With $1 million left to raise, we will soon be able to cover two years of operational costs. And, as of now, we are ahead of schedule and plan to open on Sept. 15 (appropriately, for our name) of 2027.
We are one step closer to making Knoxville a healthier, more affordable place to live. With everyone working together to make fresh groceries accessible, we will soon see the difference that a food oasis can make.
Pastor Christopher Battle is the founder and owner ofBattleField Farm and Gardens.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: With community support, The ONE FIVE will feed Knoxville | Opinion
