The Market is open to all customers, not just college students. Photo by Jessica Swink.
Balancing class and work can be hard enough for a college student without having to worry about what they’re going to do for dinner that night. Often, students will pick up a slice of pizza or microwave a packet of ramen when the mood hits, because most can’t afford nicer meals from a grocery store. Enter The Market, located on Little Savannah Road, beside The Point Coffeehouse.
Kenneth and Julie McKim decided to start the market in October of 2012. With the support of their church, Community Bible in Highlands, they pledged to build an outreach that would offer a real community influence. The coffeehouse next door was already in the works as a safe place for students, but the McKims wanted something that would make a more direct impact.
So The Market was born. The McKims started working with local agencies that are qualified to pick up produce and bread, which they offer to customers free of charge. Available produce varies from week to week. Sometimes bananas pile up in boxes, while on other weeks, it might be tomatoes or potatoes. This isn’t all, though. Most food acquired from local grocery stores is marked down anywhere from 30 to 90 percent, offering big discounts to customers wanting to save a few dollars.
The Market offers free bread and produce to its customers. Photo by Jessica Swink.
The Market also provides assistance by giving local residents jobs. Seven students are employed with The Market, while countless others are given volunteer opportunities to satisfy requirements from their clubs, internships, or scholarships.
Kenneth and Julie McKim in their store. Photo by Jessica Swink.
“We’re trying to be a place people can come to, and a support group for people in need,” Julie McKim says. They’ve helped people from all walks of life, ranging from single moms to people with ill family members. Many projects find themselves set up outside The Market doors, like a free haircut day back in September, 2013, and small Christmas gifts for every customer who visited in December.
Any clubs or organizations interested in partnering with The Market are free to get in touch, whether through their Facebook page or by phone or just by walking in to check out the great deals they also offer on their shelves. Members of the community should be sure to stop too, to learn about upcoming functions or just to receive a smile upon walking in the door.
