Tri-Cities family opens free market to help the community through hard times
If you have a need, take what you need.
It’s a simple concept for a transformative new “store” in the Tri-Cities.
Restoration Community Impact’s new Restoration Market in Kennewick is a labor of love started by a family trying to help neighbors in need. The market looks like a small bodega-type grocery, complete with shopping carts, shelves and all the fixtures you might expect to see.
The one thing you won’t see at the market is a cash register.
The nonprofit market is run by Marlando and Stephanie Sparks, along with their children and Marlando’s mother. Their kids have been an especially important part of the journey.
Restoration market
Shoppers are given two grocery bags and a cart and get to do their own shopping, selecting the items their family needs the most.
There are a few reasons the Sparks decided to set the market up this way rather than a traditional food pantry that gives out boxes already put together.
The first reason was simple, they’d given out pre-made boxes in the past and community members sometimes had dietary restrictions or didn’t have a use for certain items.
With the grocery store set up, they’ve put a focus on a diverse selection of foods and ingredients that fit into different dietary restrictions or cultural recipes.
“We used to give out the boxes and noticed there were times when families were like, ‘I don’t know what that is for,’” Marlando said. “Now we are much more intentional about what we carry.”
Beyond that, they wanted to create an environment where people in need wouldn’t have to worry about anxiety or shame, where getting help is part of a relationship rather than a momentary interaction.
Because this is a labor of love for the family, they want to ensure everyone who comes in feels loved and supported.
They’re also trying to reach people who might be apprehensive about going to a food pantry or asking for help.
“We work with individuals who maybe make too much money for this program or that program, but one thing we learned in the pandemic is how many people were one paycheck away (from a crisis),” Marlando said. “The only requirement we have is if you have a need.”
While they do collect some information to help track their donations and needs, it’s all optional.
Marlando said the online signup will ask for income, because it’s a uniform piece of software used by many food pantries, but customers don’t have to disclose it if they aren’t comfortable.
Getting started
“When COVID-19 first came about they were shutting down everything, and our kids were all home,” Marlando said. “We have a lot of (kids), so we thought about how can we help people get through this and we began making masks.”
They began sewing masks and soon had distributed hundreds to local hospitals. While they were doing that, they began to see a need for help with food because people were losing their jobs or going grocery shopping might not have been safe.
They started ordering pizzas for families, then realized there has to be a better way. That’s when Marlando says a friend told him about the USDA Farmers to Families food box program.
So they signed up to begin distributing boxes. They thought it was going to be just a one time thing, but talking to community members in line had a huge impact.
The food drives became regular, but families couldn’t always make it out during the limited times. People were struggling and those little moments of community meant a lot to the Sparks and the people they were helping.
“I would ... tell them, ‘You’re going to be okay, we’re in this together,’” Stephanie said. “We were also building relationships with the families in the area. It broke our heart between giveaways when they would reach out and say they didn’t have any food.”
“So we thought, how could we make a hub, a market where people can come and shop with dignity? And bring their children, who don’t even have to know it’s free, and they’re received with love and the food is good quality and know that someone truly does care?”
Since opening in late January, they’ve helped more than 2,500 local families.
The market partners with local organizations including EastWest Food Rescue, Northwest Harvest, Lamb Weston and local grocery stores. They said they’re always looking to add more partners.
The market is open throughout the week by appointment and on the first and third Saturday of the month for walk-ins from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
They’re at 4000 W. Clearwater Ave. at the intersection with North Quillan Street.
