Students Help Grocer Provide Homewood With Fresh Produce
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It is difficult to buy affordable or high-quality fresh food in Homewood. But, fresh produce should be available to everyone in every community.
"It's very difficult for a mother to catch a bus or a jitney to go up to the supermarket to get one green pepper, when she can get it here. So we try to provide that and understanding what family is all about," said James Perry, owner of Perry's Honeydripper.
Perry's Honeydripper is one of the only places in Homewood to buy fresh produce. But space is limited and that limits Perry's ability to buy in bulk and offer better prices.
Now, with the help of three students, the shop will be able to offer so much more.
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As part of an urban research and design class, students at Winchester Thurston came up with the idea to raise money for Perry to buy a walk-in cooler for his shop.
"It's really eye opening coming into a community where you are a complete stranger and working with a pillar in the community, like Mr. Perry here, bring change to a community that really needs it," said student Brent Vennes.
The students created a crowd funding website and met with people in the community.
"We've just been coming here for the past six months, meeting with Mr. Perry to figure out how to accomplish this being three high school students," said student Brooke Urbach.
They raised more than $7,000. On Thursday, they presented Perry with the check.
"We thought he was providing such a necessary thing for the community, wanted to make sure Homewood continues to be uplifted," said student Allison Murray.
