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"Sometimes you may need a little help, and it's OK to get the help."

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A free grocery store opened Thursday inside a Maryland library, providing access to fresh food and essential groceries for people in need.

The space inside the Fairmount Heights Library is designed to help nourish both minds and bodies. It marks a new chapter in Prince George's County's fight against food insecurity.

The store will provide fresh food and groceries to 175 families every week, bringing big relief to a part of the county that leaders describe as a food desert.

"This is a blessing for the community, and we need this," said Phyllis Wright, a volunteer with the new store. "This day and time, so many families are in need. So we want them to come out and get this. Come and get some groceries."

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The grocery store was created through a partnership between the county and Goodr, a company focused on fighting hunger and reducing food waste.

"I think if you give people their dignity, you give them their hope," said Goodr CEO and founder Jasmine Crowe-Houston. "And I often say that we've given people hope in their darkest hours."

Located in Councilmember Shayla Adams-Stafford's district, the store is the first of its kind in Maryland. She and other county leaders say the need has only grown greater in recent months.

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"So many people have been laid off or [are] experiencing, you know, just insecurity in so many different ways that so many people did not imagine they would be in this position, that they'd have to go to a food pantry," Adams-Stafford said.

Families can apply online for access, with most applicants so far being seniors and single parents.

"It's something that we need in a community," said Andrea Wright, one of those visitors. "And I'm a senior citizen myself, so yes, I will be using it."

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For community members getting their first look inside on Thursday, the store represented more than groceries; it's peace of mind during difficult times.

"I don't have the money to buy what I want to buy, so I'm glad they opened the store out here," said Donald Queen, a resident in the area. "It'll help me out, and anybody else that wants to do that. So I appreciate that."

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"Everything is high. And sometimes you may need a little help, and it's OK to get the help."

 – Paulette Jones, store visitor

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County leaders say the Fairmount Heights Library location is just the beginning. A second free grocery store is expected to open in Prince George's District 7 in the coming weeks.

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