Goodr Grocery Store Helps Reduce Student Absence At Georgia Elementary School

A free grocery store inside a Georgia elementary school is helping families access food while school officials report a significant decrease in student absences.

C.J. Hicks Elementary School in Conyers launched the on-campus grocery store in fall 2025 in partnership with Goodr and Kaiser Permanente. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, school records show total absent days dropped 43%, from 1,286 to 733, after the store opened.

How does Goodr initiative impact education?

The initiative is particularly significant for the school’s predominantly Black student population. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Black students accounted for approximately 71% of enrollment during the 2024-25 school year.

Federal education data also show that 837 of the school’s 878 students were eligible for free school lunches, highlighting the importance of accessible food assistance for families in the school community.

By providing groceries at no cost, the program offers additional support outside the classroom. The initiative also helps families obtain food without adding to their grocery expenses.

The store provides fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, frozen foods, breakfast items, juice, and snacks. Families can shop on Tuesdays and Thursdays after signing in at the school’s front office.

Additional assistance is available through food distributions on Fridays. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that 80 families receive groceries to take home each week.

School officials have reported improvements in multiple attendance measures. Daily absences declined 33%, while unexcused absence days decreased 42%. The number of days students were present increased 26%.

What exactly is Goodr?

Goodr, an Atlanta-based food waste management organization founded by Jasmine Crowe-Houston, has established similar grocery stores in schools and community facilities across the country.

According to AfroTech, the organization has opened locations at Atlanta’s McNair Middle School and the Fairmount Heights Branch Library in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

The school’s reported attendance improvements suggest that addressing families’ basic needs has helped support student participation.

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