Horizon Goodwill’s Walnut Towers Corner Store Including Lotto Goes Against Everything It Stands For (Opinion)

HAGERSTOWN, MD News (4/22/2024) – While some in the community are cheering the opening of Horizon Goodwill’s new corner store at Walnut Towers, I’m cringing. “Our efforts seek to create positive changes in a person’s economic stability, education, employment, health, housing security, and social capital,” states Horizon Goodwill’s mission statement. So I was quite surprised when I saw that Horizon’s new corner store at Walnut Towers offers lottery, snack food, and soft drinks.

I really try to support Horizon Goodwill, because they try to do a lot of good things in our community, especially with their training and job programs. But today’s grand opening of their corner store really gave me pause. And I think somewhere along the way, Horizon Goodwill has lost sight of their mission.

“Many Hagerstown Housing Authority tenants face challenges in accessing affordable, nutritious food due to mobility issues and the presence of food deserts in the area. Our second location aims to bridge this gap by providing quality groceries at competitive prices, empowering residents to make healthier choices without breaking the bank,” stated the grand opening event description, which took place today at 10 AM.

And while the store is advertised as an option to provide “quality groceries” and allow residents to “make healthier choices,” the store seems very heavily focused on snack foods and other unhealthy choices, including gambling.

Lining the store shelves are a tremendous amount of pre-packaged, processed snack foods, including potato chips, candy, cheese-filled pretzel snacks, and beef jerky. And while there are a small number of baskets with a limited amount of fresh, healthy foods, that certainly doesn’t seem to be the focus of the store. In fact, the store seems more focused on encouraging visitors to purchase from the soda fountain or Maryland Lottery, including large signs highlighting each. The Maryland Lottery is particularly highlighted with an animated display at the cash register area.

I’m extremely disappointed in Horizon’s decision to make this a traditional convenience store with traditional convenience store offerings, instead of focus more on fresh foods. The fact that Horizon would include the ability for residents to purchase lottery tickets at the store is extremely perplexing, especially when Horizon has on their own website articles about financial literacy as well as training and education on the topic.

Horizon had a tremendous opportunity here – to be a voice of positive change in the community by designing a store that actually encourages smarter spending and healthier habits. Instead, they chose to open just another convenience store, that’s no different from a Sheetz, 7-11 or Byers Stop-and-Go. Wait, I take that back – at least at Sheetz, 7-11, or Byers, you can get a sandwich made with fresh ingredients. The disturbing part of that is that’s probably healthier than most of the items sold at Horizon’s new corner store.

Do better, Horizon Goodwill. Remove the lotto, remove the junk food, and bring in real healthy options. Otherwise this is just another convenience store under the disguise of “trying to do good for the community.”

Opinion article by Ken Buckler, President of RFHC. All opinions are his own and do not reflect those of our sponsors or clients.

EDITOR’S NOTE: After publication, a representative of Horizon Goodwill reached out to us and said that the concerns outlined in this opinion article were heard and discussed with us these concerns at length. We would like to thank HGI for their prompt attention and listening to the concerns of the community.

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