Local Supermarket Owner Signs Community Support Agreement with Richard Allen New Generation

Philadelphia, PA, May 23, 2017 -- Richard Allen New Generation (RANG), a 501©3 non-profit corporation, based in North Central Philadelphia, today announced that it has successfully reached an agreement for improved community services, fresher and better-quality foods and expanded neighborhood cooperation with the owners of the Polo Supermarket, at 10th and Brown Streets, also in North Philadelphia. The agreement came in response to concerns raised by community residents that culminated with a demonstration and boycott of the store, by RANG members, on March 29, 2017.

Bernard Gorham, president of North Philadelphia’s Richard Allen New Generation (RANG), is shown here (fifth from right) shaking hands with Luis Gomez Martinez, owner of the Polo Supermarket, located at 10th and Brown Streets. Gorham and other RANG board members and officers had just concluded a meeting with Martinez wherein he had committed to a new communitysupport agreement including the hiring of two neighborhood teenagers, over the summer. Luis Gomez Martinez (far right) is shown during a recent meeting with the board members and officers of Richard Allen New Generation (RANG), as they worked on details of the new, wide-ranging community support agreement between Martinez’ Polo Supermarket, at 10th and Brown Streets, in North Central Philadelphia, and members of the community.

The agreement was signed by RANG’s President and Vice President, Bernard Gorham and Anita Boyd, and by Luis Gomez Martinez, the owner of the supermarket. The agreement addressed neighborhood concerns about the need for improved customer service and courtesy on the part of Polo Supermarket employees. It also included the store’s commitment to Safe Food Certification; the removal of outdated food from store shelves, refrigerators and freezers; and the need for appropriate explanatory signage about the price impacts brought on by the new “soda tax.” The storeowner also made a commitment to contribute to a scholarship program for area secondary school students and to hire two neighborhood teenagers, for summer employment, beginning in June.

According to RANG’s president, Gorham, the community organization believes that the improved relationship with the store’s neighbors will be good for the store owner, over time, and will lead to even higher levels of patronage and support for the local business.

“Over the course of our discussions with Mr. Martinez, we repeatedly emphasized that his cooperation with the community would almost certainly lead to higher levels of store traffic and more effective relationships with neighbors, for him and his staff,” said Gorham. “As it becomes clear that he is committed to support the community, the neighbors will undoubtedly become more supportive of his business. We’ll see him as a partner.

“We believe Mr. Martinez saw the good business sense in such an approach,” Gorham added, “so much so that he has volunteered to assist RANG in similar discussions with other businesses in the community.”

Richard Allen New Generation (RANG) is a community organization which is focused on addressing the needs of families and individuals within the footprint that extends from 9th to Broad Street, and from Spring Garden Street to Girard Avenue, in North Central Philadelphia, an area commonly designated, for City Planning purposes, as West Poplar. The area is comprised of 3,700 persons, about 75 percent of whom are African Americans.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a8e4928-6e68-4a76-b335-ffdc37a268ff

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ccd8b6f4-1a38-4258-9fe9-a37bf11af925

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ec019953-cdcb-4985-968f-5c782ef6c030

A. Bruce Crawley
Millennium 3 Management, Inc.
215-751-0140
[email protected]