Lucky Elk Helps Bring Good Health to the Worthwhile Mercantile

Today we're thrilled to announce something we've been hoping to do for a while, and thanks to a generous donation from our next-door neighbor Lucky Elk we finally get to go ahead with. 

For so many people, grocery shopping is about more than just getting enough food, it’s also about getting the right food for their body. Managing diabetes, high blood pressure, celiac disease, heart disease, lactose intolerance, and other chronic issues frequently requires specialty foods that can be really hard to find at free food pantries. These items are often requested by our customers but are among the least likely items to be donated and available on our shelves. This means that our neighbors most in need of food support often are having to take the food that is available instead of the food that they actually need. 

Next week we will to be able to start stocking the Good Health Shelf: a dedicated section in the Mercantile that features shelf-stable foods intended to support wellness and specialized dietary needs. Our aim starting out is to reliably offer some options that are gluten-free, low-sodium, no-sugar-added foods, and nutritious alternatives to conventional non-perishables, and then to build the section over time based on the needs and requests of the people who use it.

We are incredibly grateful to Lucky Elk for believing in this project and helping make it a reality as the founding sponsor of the Good Health Shelf. We're not gonna be able to solve this problem for everyone overnight, but this is one solid step toward making healthier options more accessible to working families, fixed income seniors, and households facing financial hardship in Talent. 

Tucker Pyne at Lucky Elk shared these words with us:

At Lucky Elk, we believe agriculture has always been about more than growing crops. It's about nourishing communities. That's why we're proud to support Worthwhile Talent and the incredible work they do to ensure local families have access to food, essential goods, and the support they need. As a farmer-owned company, we know that healthy communities are built when neighbors look out for one another. We're grateful for organizations like Worthwhile Talent that put compassion into action every day, and we're honored to play a small part in helping strengthen our community together."

Thank you Tucker and Lucky Elk for helping turn this idea into something we actually get to offer! We're excited to watch the Good Health Shelf evolve, and we hope it inspires others who believe that healthy shelf-stable food should be within reach for those who need it. Every partnership, every donation, and every act of generosity helps strengthen our community in so many different ways.

Tammy Wilder

Director, Worthwhile Talent