Mt. Airy Foodie Likes Food For All

by Brittany Barbato, for the Shuttle

Shaline Webb considers herself a foodie, but for her, the label goes beyond “gourmet.” A dedicated mother of four and a member of the Co-op for nine years, she believes really being a foodie means “being interested and engaged in conversations with the community about healthy, natural food.”

Born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia, Webb was one of seven children in a low-income household. Her mother battled heart disease during the last decade of her life and ultimately died from it. She recalls relying on free school breakfasts and summer meal programs to ensure she and her siblings had enough to eat.

Webb moved to Mt. Airy in 2002 and worked hard to make sure her own family wouldn’t have the same challenges. “I didn’t want to repeat those things for my family, which is why I shop at Weavers Way and why I’m so passionate about healthy eating,” she says. “If I can do something different and have a say in it with my community, then I’m making a better life for my kids and neighbors.”

Last year, Webb experienced some unexpected life transitions, including a divorce, which significantly impacted her ability to pay her family’s bills, let alone buy groceries. She also worried about her father, who was diagnosed with diabetes after years of poor eating and lack of exercise. As she searched for a higher paying job, she worried about how she could continue to provide nutritious meals for her family amid temporary budget limitations. 

Checking out at Weavers Way one day, she learned about Food For All, the Co-op’s discount program for member-owners who receive government assistance. Both new and existing Weavers Way members qualify for Food For All if they currently receive benefits from SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps), Medicaid, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) or WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children).

Food for All participants are eligible for a reduced minimum equity payment ($5 per year instead of the standard $30) and a 10 percent discount on nearly every product in the store. (Working FFA members get 15-percent.)

Food For All is a huge help for Webb and her family right now: “The extra discount makes it easier and more affordable for me to buy locally grown and other healthy whole foods,” Webb says.

Webb also recently joined the Weavers Way Food Justice Committee, whose members gather on the first Wednesday of every month to examine how food insecurity directly affects our neighborhood and to work on ways to promote equal access to whole, healthful, natural foods. 

She's excited to join these fellow “foodies” in their ongoing conversation about access to high-quality food. “I want to be part of the local effort to bring about change and awareness on the issue within the community at large,” Webb says. “Good food shouldn't just be for the affluent; it should be accessible to everyone, everywhere.”

Brittany Barbato is a member of the Food Justice Committee. The committee meets the first Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Community Room, 555 Carpenter Lane. Email: foodjustice@weaversway.coop.