40. Community Need The Healthy Family Market (HFM) a project of Sunlight Village, will bring healthy, affordable food staples to West Dayton neighborhoods. West Dayton is a USDA-designated food desert; families and residents are forced to travel outside their community to access food or to utilize expensive and unsafe corner store options. Many of these families do not have consistent transportation and cannot easily leave their community to purchase food. The Healthy Family Market (HFM) will primarily focus on improving maternal and infant health by providing WIC-approved staples such as infant formula and baby cereal and ensuring convenient access to fresh food. The pharmacy-style market is designed to create an easy and safe experience for families with young children who struggle to access other grocery options.

Through a partnership with Dayton Children’s (DC), much-needed pediatric health care will be co-located on the same site. DC is partnering with Sunlight Village to build authentic relationships with families. DC is planning flexible clinical space to grow overtime to best meet community needs. This may include on-demand care for acute illnesses, including lab draw and x-ray imaging, prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, vaccine clinics, behavioral health and asthma support. Through this partnership families gain access to nutritious food and high-quality pediatric care.

The partners are working together to raise the funding to complete the construction and build out of the Healthy Family Market and Dayton Children’s pediatric care center. Once completed the project is intended to improve health outcomes for some of the most vulnerable families in Dayton, including low-income women and young children. The Healthy Family Market and Dayton Children’s Pediatric Services are aligned with the hospital’s Center for Health Equity which is committed to optimal health for all children by addressing the health disparities that exist in our City. This partnership and our planned facility construction were approved by the Dayton Children’s Board in July 2023.

This project is one element of the Inspire Zone Collaborative focused on bringing access to primary care, prevention, mental health care, affordable, healthy food; and access to youth development and workforce training services to give underserved moms, children and teens in this area of west Dayton a path to health, wellbeing and success.