In this episode of the Be The Good Podcast, Christy sits down with Eli Moraru, the visionary founder of The Community Grocer, to explore how one neighborhood’s struggle with food access sparked a nationwide conversation on equity, policy, and community care. Eli shares how the idea emerged during the pandemic when he witnessed firsthand how broken the food system was, especially for people living in areas without full grocery stores and relying heavily on SNAP benefits. What started with delivering food quickly revealed deeper systemic problems: food deserts, ultra-processed corner-store dependence, and federal policies that make it nearly impossible for families to access hot, healthy meals.

Eli breaks down the complexities of SNAP’s “no hot food” rule, the history behind it, and why it no longer serves communities the way it was intended. He introduces the innovative “two premises” model that The Community Grocer uses to legally provide hot meals to SNAP recipients, bridging a gap that has existed for decades. Eli also highlights the voices of residents who made it clear that they wanted fresh options and culturally relevant foods, not more processed items that contribute to long-term health issues.

The episode goes deeper into the realities of funding, real estate barriers, and the skepticism that nonprofits often face when trying to build grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods. Eli walks us through the challenges with lenders and how his team eventually found their home in Southwest Philadelphia, earning the trust of residents and sparking national attention. From meetings with USDA leaders to partnerships with his local Congressman, the story captures how persistence, community involvement, and policy innovation came together to build a first-of-its-kind model.

Eli Moraru:

Website: thecommunitygrocer.org

Timestamps

0:00 – Intro and welcome

1:06 – Where It All Began: Community Expertise & Environmental Justice

1:50 – Supporting the Community Through the Pandemic

4:18 – Corner Stores & SNAP Realities

5:25 – The Spark: Why Skittles Are Eligible, but Scrambled Eggs Aren’t

6:06 – Understanding the SNAP Policy Gap

10:51 – Introducing the Community Grocer Model

12:55 – How the Two-Unit Model Works

14:15 – The Chipotle-Style Meal Pickup

18:15 – The Viral Inquirer Article

24:03 – Entering the Food-as-Medicine Space

25:27 – Community Advisory Board, Ages 12–89, Shaping Research Questions

31:05 – Daily Hurdles, Faith, Federal Policies, Workforce Systems & Vision

31:36 – Discovery of the Hidden Bible in the Wall, Jeremiah 29:11

34:53 – Food Insecurity, Poverty & Systemic Inequality

37:35 – Civic Engagement & Rebuilding Hope Through Community Space

43:43 – Step-By-Step Vision: Open → Strengthen → Expand → Replicate

44:30 – How to reach Eli Moraru

46:01 – Episode Summary