Jubilee Market, a project within Mission Waco, was named “Business of the Month” by Keep Waco Beautiful.
Since the market opened its doors, more than 1,000 people a week are shopping there. The market provides access to healthy foods to those who did not previously have access.
The market is located in a zip code that is considered a food desert.
Jubilee will soon have its own greenhouse that will be supported by aquaponics.
Aquaphonics is an ecosystem in which fish and crawfish keep the water full of nutrition and keeping plants growing. There was also 48 solar panels installed, a rain water encatchment to save rainfall for the garden and a compost machine.
"That area definitely needed something like that. And the fact that Mission Waco and you know, their high hopes to elevate the community in genera, I mean it was an easy pick," said Ashley Millerd from Keep Waco Beautiful.
"We know this was a historic old neighborhood that got blighted and now is coming back," said Jimmy Dorrell, executive director of Mission Waco.
Groups such as the Baylor football team helped construct the Urban Renewable Energy Agriculture Project that will sit next to the market.
"Park of our concern for the inner city and everywhere is that we'd be better stewards of the world," said Dorrell. "We've got projects over here that include an aquaphonics greenhouse that will have organic food that we'll put in the grocery store next door."
The project costs a total of $284,000. It received a $234,000 grant from Green Mountain Energy Sun Club.
The project is expected to be up and running by the end of May
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