In 2010, we welcomed Jeff Delp onto our team! Over the past 13 years, he has been leading our efforts alongside South Atlanta neighbors to create jobs, businesses, and a local economy that will help our neighbors thrive!
Over the years, we’ve been grateful for Jeff’s dedication and his thoughtfulness. As we reflect on the past thirteen years with him, here are 10 key memories and quotes that stand out.
#1 Opening Carver Market – May 2015
On May 16, 2015, Jeff stood under a green and white balloon arch as we celebrated the grand opening of Carver Market. After months and months of careful planning, we welcomed all of our neighbors and friends to celebrate this food oasis. This day kicked off 5 years of neighborhood pride and boosted health. We wanted Carver Neighborhood Market to provide food that reflected our neighborhood. In doing so, we created an inventory that still brings our mixed-income community together in an equitable way.
This is definitely one of our most important and special memories of our time with Jeff Delp! Every day, we see the new ways that Carver Market is making our neighborhood flourish.
#2 “Community is happening right in front of our eyes.” – “Balancing Success In Mission And Business,” July 2016
“As I sit in the coffee shop writing, I am watching our mission play out right in front of me. Two neighborhood seniors (morning regulars) are interacting with two toddlers from two different families, one of whom just bought a house built by our housing team. All are being served coffee and juice by an employee who lives on my street. We are all neighbors, and community is happening right in front of our eyes.”
#3 Permeability creates beauty. – “When Dad, Neighbor, Friend, And Business Owner Collide,” April 2017
“In many businesses, people want divisions between business and personal life.In our business and community, though, the lines are often blurry and muddled. What emerges from this permeability tends to be more beautiful than anything we ever expected.” from “When Dad, Neighbor, Friend, And Business Owner Collide,” April 2017
#4 “There is no denying the power of a job.” – “The Power of Local Employment,” September 2018
“Being committed to hyper-local employment is huge for the community immediately around the business. It fosters community buy-in and commitment. I believe through committed employers hiring hyper-locally, stable affordable housing options, and reliable transportation, we will see our communities flourish.”
#5 Breaking Ground on Vacant Gas Station for Future Restaurant – February 2019
In 2018, we acquired the vacant gas station across from 1297 McDonough Blvd. The vision: to transform it into a space for a local restaurateur and a series of micro-offices for local entrepreneurs. In February 2019, we took a big step in making this vision a reality by breaking ground and removing the underground gas tanks underneath the surface.
Jeff noted that it would be the only sit-down restaurant in the neighborhood and said neighbors, “are very excited about a sit-down restaurant. There’s very little [nearby] in terms of ‘Hey, let’s take the family out for a meal.’ It’s going to need to be something that if a kid from Carver High School walks in, they can get something off the menu. Or a family of four can get something for $30 or $40.”
#6 “Options shouldn’t be reserved for people of means.” – “Life in Atlanta Without A Car,” March 2019
“As the city changes and accepts new people we need to be extra careful about making space for those living without a car. Over half of our customers arrive at the store without an automobile (this is a big part of the reason we put our front door facing the sidewalk, not the parking lot). Understanding their experience and making it better serves our customers.”
#7 “Food is the one thing that we all need.” – “The Restaurant Factor,” May 2019
“It’s one thing that all of us enjoy. It combines hospitality, adventure, and culture. For community developers, there’s a lot of potential in places that serve food in ways that intentionally bring people together. Done well, they act as a bridge between cultures and peoples.”
#8 Share the Love initiative during the pandemic – April 2020
Less than a month into the pandemic, Jeff led the Carver Market team in putting together Share the Love bags to distribute to neighbors throughout Historic South Atlanta. Over 500 bags were packed with care and hand-delivered to neighbors who welcomed the fresh groceries. Even more received Carver Market gift cards.
Access to these nutrient-dense foods at Carver Market offered a powerful buffer to the pandemic in Historic South Atlanta. It relieved pressure on families who were facing new economic challenges. It gave kids energy for a new way of learning. And it likely even helped protect some of our neighbors from Covid-19, since nutrition gives the body resilience against the virus.
#9 “Whoever walks into our store should feel like this store is for them.” – “Community-1-1,” July 2020
“People should feel like we will serve them well. We do this through staffing, pricing, decor, product selection, music selection, and more. We make it our business to ensure that whoever walks into our doors will be seen, feel like they belong, and know that this store is FOR them.”
#10 Expanding and Renovating Community Grounds & Carver Market – 2021 – 2022
Thanks to the success of our campaign for Stronger Southside and the generosity of people like you, we were able to expand Community Grounds and Carver Market. The stores were welcoming more than 300 customers each day, and we decided it was time to refresh the space and expand our inventory for neighbors.
Soon after, Jeff led a collaboration with the Atlanta Beltline and artist George F. Baker III to bring a new mural to the stores’ exterior. The end result created a brighter facade that’s more appealing for neighbors on foot and in cars. Even better, it was completed right around the same time Carver Market installed freezers to boost its inventory of affordable and healthy foods.
Grateful for 13 Years with Jeff
We know that these 10 memories and quotes don’t even scratch the surface of all the ways having Jeff has impacted our team for good. If you have a memory or a story to share, please feel free to comment below or to reach out to us at info@fcsminstries.org. We love hearing the ways our team has impacted you, too!
