, there are 2,431 estimated food insecure households in this area \u2013 which is 98% higher than in the rest of the dmv. there are approximately 3,843 food insecure adults, according to their data.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nthough hall does not sell perishable food, members of the community said he can get them these items when necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cterry\u2019s been helping me every single day. he helped me not steal from people and if i need anything he helps me, if it comes down to food, clothing or anything. he helps me and he helps this community a lot,\u201d said damontre long, a young man who lives right around hall\u2019s store. \u201ci set up stuff for him and he gives me jobs to keep me out of trouble.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nlong is not the only young member of the community positively impacted by hall. jessica jankes, another ward 8 resident, said her 11-year-old daughter worked for hall last summer. \u201cshe sold merchandise and talked to customers. she did everything. terry does a lot for the kids and the community.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nhall also provides incentives for the kids to do well in school. when they come to him with good grades on their report cards, hall gifts them with candy or dollar bills, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201che is a good man. he always has things for my daughter and he\u2019s always helping the kids. if you run out of stuff, he makes sure you get it,\u201d said dechell blackeney, who lives in congress heights and is the mother of a 3-year-old girl whom hall always helps. \u201clast friday, he even had fried fish friday and he cooked and gave to the community.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nhall said he can save people the time and money it takes to pick up a few necessary items.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201ci\u2019ve been here in this spot every day for 20 years. i deal with people who really, really need me,\u201d he said. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nhe sells a plethora of products, varying from personal hygiene to household cleaning products and even clothing. he takes cash only for payment, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
hall’s “store” offers a variety of products at a lower price. (alexia massoud)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\u201ci come here all the time. sometimes i got to get something and need it right away and i come here instead of the grocery store,\u201d said violet council, a member of the congress heights community. \u201cyou don\u2019t got to take bus after bus after bus. he got all the stuff right here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\naccording to hall, his only goal is to give back to this community, where he grew up and still lives. however, he has also faced some difficulties. he said his truck with thousands of dollars worth of products was once stolen and that some people have tried to take advantage of him and his store, but that is not enough to stop him. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nhall said he buys the products from large, full-service stores in either virginia or the district. he said he purchases them with the money he has saved and invested over the years from working several jobs simultaneously, in addition to his social security income and donations.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201ci just keep turning my money over and over again. but some people donate, which is really helpful, because i lower my price to make products affordable here in the community,\u201d hall said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\ndonations and visitors are welcomed by hall. to donate, get in touch with hall’s assistant, jessica, at 202-892-9305.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"in a neighborhood in southeast washington, d.c. that has become known as a food desert, terry hall gives back to his community by bringing essential household items to this chronically underserved area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30051,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4896,5195],"tags":[],"storyfest_categories":[],"class_list":["post-41093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-food","category-justice"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\u201ci am the store\u201d: terry hall as a community hero - planet forward<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n