Here For What Matters: Answering Communities’ Calls for Increased Access

According to Feeding America, 47 million people in the United States are food insecure, often leaving rural communities to bear the heaviest burden. Understanding that Dollar General often invests in communities and opens stores where other retailers either cannot or will not serve, the Company frequently receives requests from retiring local grocers, devoted customers and community officials asking DG to bring produce and perishable food access to their hometowns.

“As part of our commitment to our mission of Serving Others, we have responded to many community requests across the country asking us to bring affordable access to essentials and foods to their hometown,” said Matthew Simonsen, Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store development. “While we are not a grocer, we care about and are invested in the health of our hometowns. We believe each DG represents positive economic impact, and we are grateful for feedback from customers and elected officials that allow us to better serve our communities.”

Here are a few stories of where DG met the needs of the community:

Cedar Falls, Iowa

"Cedar Falls has for a long time valued healthy lifestyles as a key part of quality of life, and having access to fresh produce nearby your home is a key piece of that. Especially in an agricultural state like Iowa, it can be easy to take for granted that not everyone has that luxury,” shared Cedar Falls Mayor Danny Laudick.

Dollar General opened its Cedar Falls store in 2013 and has been serving area residents for more than a decade. In spring 2024, the Company remodeled the store and added its fresh produce selection, which offers the top 20 items typically sold in traditional grocery stores, including a curated assortment of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, apples, bananas, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes, salad mixes and more. 

“Having a partner like Dollar General step up to provide fresh produce in their North Cedar location, a neighborhood of town that isn't within walking distance of the typical produce-carrying grocery chains, is an incredible step forward in helping us making sure where you choose to live in Cedar Falls doesn't limit your ability to choose healthy options to eat,” said Mayor Laudick.

When the store opened in spring 2024, The Courier reported one local resident’s appreciation for the store.  “It’s been a godsend since they’ve opened. For me, it’s the closeness, but it’s the great people we’ve gotten to know. They’ve always met our needs, and we can always count on them,” said Carla W.

Silver Lake, Kansas

After serving the Silver Lake, Kansas community for 55 years, a local supermarket owner reached out to DG to share the store would close after his retirement and asked the Company to provide fresh food and necessities in their community.

DG answered the call and plans to open a DG Market in the former grocer’s location this fall, ensuring residents’ continued access to fresh food. The store also will feature a “We Are Silver Lake” mural painted by local students.

Liz Steckel at the We Are Silver Lake Association shared her gratitude for the Company’s partnership:

“As a proud member of the Silver Lake community, since our local grocer’s closure, the simple question of 'what's for dinner?' has become a bit more complicated, often requiring a trip out of town, which interrupts the flow of family life and meal planning. However, the arrival of Dollar General brings a sense of relief and optimism. Their DG Market addresses the immediate need for local grocery options, ensuring that our community continues to have access to fresh produce, meats, and other essentials right here in Silver Lake.

Moreover, we are particularly grateful for DG's partnership with We Are Silver Lake. Their commitment to preserving the new mural on the store's wall—a mural that encapsulates the rich history and spirit of our community—demonstrates their respect and dedication to the people they will soon be serving.”

Oakland, Illinois

Faced with residents in need, the Oakland Area Chamber of Commerce wrote Dollar General in winter 2023 to request a DG Market be added to their community.  Community leaders also detailed the struggles their community faced in accessing affordable and nutritious food as residents were driving 15 to 30 miles for fresh meat, produce and other staples after their local grocer suddenly closed.

“We desperately need a grocery store, and a DG Market would be ideal for our community and surrounding area,” the letter stated.

The DG team is currently evaluating a new DG Market, which would open in 2025 and provide the community’s 900 residents with access to fresh produce, fresh meats, perishable foods and other items customers trust Dollar General to provide.

Maxwell, Iowa

In 2024, a local resident reached out to DG as their community did not have nearby access to fresh produce and meats. Dollar General reviewed the request and began plans to provide its DG Market location to the community. The Company plans to offer the new store’s selections in early October 2024.

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While not a grocer, DG currently has fresh produce in more than 5,400 stores, giving the Company more individual points of produce distribution than any other U.S. mass retailer or grocer.

To learn more about how DG is helping the communities it serves, visit hereforwhatmatters.com.

To find DG locations offering produce, visit DG’s online Store Locator and use the filter function for fresh produce.