Factory Shoals Middle School celebrated the grand opening of its new Amazon Goodr Mini-Mart on Dec. 5 to support Douglas County students and families beyond the classroom. The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together Goodr Founder and CEO Jasmine Crowe-Houston, Amazon Community Engagement Manager Afrika Alsup, and school and district leaders to launch the resource designed to address food insecurity among families.
The free in-school grocery store, made possible through a one-year partnership between Amazon and Goodr, provides convenient access to fresh produce, shelf-stable staples, nutritious snacks, and household essentials for Factory Shoals families throughout the school year. The store offers families the opportunity to select groceries that support their health and daily needs.
Principal LaVar Hickerson expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve students both inside and outside the classroom.
"This partnership today and in the future reflects our shared belief that education extends beyond textbooks and the classroom," he said. "Supporting our students means supporting our families. It means addressing barriers to learning like food insecurities in real, tangible ways. And it means standing together as a community to prioritize health, wellness and dignity."
The Amazon Goodr Mini-Mart allows families to shop and select an item from each food category. It is designed as a supplement to families' regular grocery shopping, helping ensure that no student goes hungry.
"Our goal in Douglas County is not only to support our students instructionally, but to support them in all the needs that they have," said Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Dr. Mitch Springer. "We know that food is a need that many of our families have and we look forward to this partnership."
Goodr, founded by Crowe-Houston, is an Atlanta-based hunger relief and sustainable food waste management organization that uses technology and innovative logistics to redirect surplus food from waste to people facing hunger. The company has established similar grocery stores in communities across the country, strengthening schools' roles as resources for families navigating uncertainty.
Amazon's sponsorship and partnership represent a continued investment in the Douglas County School System. It reflects a shared commitment to ensure students have the nourishment they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.