Winton Hills grocery pilot gives residents hope for the future

Fresh fruits and vegetables in a grocery store.
Organizers of this pilot with Kroger hope to continue it.

Written and edited by

Ann Thompson

Less than a year after a grocery pilot program began in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Winton Hills, participants are reporting better health, reduced hunger and a greater hope for the future.

The City of Cincinnati partnered with Kroger to provide $100 a month of delivered groceries to 136 eligible households for twelve months. The grocery money is used in conjunction with SNAP or WIC benefits and can be spent on anything except alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs and gas.

Most people would agree an extra $100 doesn’t go far at the grocery store, but these residents are grateful to have it, saying “It is beneficial to my family because the food stamps run out at the end of the month and my credit comes in,” and “I love the support and the opportunity to be able to provide for my family in our time of need,” and “Having groceries delivered to my door on days when I can’t leave is the best.”

Here’s what a recent survey found from these participants:

  • Households eating a balanced meal and cooking with fresh ingredients increased by about 67 percent.
  • The number of families able to buy everything on their grocery list more than doubled.
  • The number of participants reported being hungry decreased by about 34 percent.
  • People reporting their overall mood as “very good,” or “excellent,” increased by more than 127 percent.
  • There was a 30 percent increase in their hope for the future.

Councilwoman Anna Albi, who led the effort to develop the grocery pilot says, “Our goal was to break through the geographic barriers of a food desert and help residents afford everyday essentials. I believe the results of the survey and the anecdotal feedback from participants show that the grocery Delivery Program has been a tremendous success so far.”

Most participants in this program are Black women, enrolled in SNAP/EBT, who have children under 18 at home and make less than $25,000.

Albi wants the program to last. “My hope is that the community will be as excited as I am with these results. I’d love to continue this program for Winton Hills to continue to track its impact over time, with the hope of expanding to additional neighborhoods in the future.”

A white woman in her 50's with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes wearing a maroon leather jacket stands on a neighborhood street.

Ann Thompson – Host, Producer

Over the last thirty years in Cincinnati, Ann Thompson has brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting. She has reported and anchored for WVXU, WKRC, WCKY, WHIO-TV and Metro Networks and freelanced for NPR, CBS and ABC Radio. Her work has been recognized by the Associated Press and she has won awards from the Association of Women in Communications and the Alliance for Women in Media. She is a former News Director and Operations Manager. Ann has reported from India, Japan, South Korea, Germany and Belgium as part of fellowships. Ann thinks of the Brick by Brick project as “journalism for good.” She serves as host and producer. Ann lives in Anderson Township with her husband Scott. They have two boys. Jake graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2022 and Kurt attends West Point.