My name is LeRoyna Edwards and I am a part of a collective of others on the near eastside of Columbus who have formed Circle 77 Community Coop. We have been in the practice of sharing and growing food in our community for a number of years and have come together due to an economic need and a
longing to connect with our neighbors, our food and our community. We have a  growing desire to create an oasis of wellness in our community, which has suffered for a long time from spatial disparities in food and health.   Circle 77 Community Coop is committed toward revitalizing the health of our families and community by making good foods easily accessible and by educating and promoting the use of local
foods in our community.

Our ultimate vision is to create a community wholistic wellness center on the near east side of Columbus, specifically on Main Street, between Parsons Ave and Nelson Rd and/or on Long Street. The center will
begin with our food coop and will focus on nutritional healing practices. We intend to organize our community around art, food and wellness in order to expand the growth and production of high quality local foods within our community; and sharing right knowledge on how to use these foods to improve our
health as well as the beauty and vibrancy of our community.   The Wellness Center will eventually consist of a food coop which supplies fresh high-quality foods, a community kitchen,
a fitness educational center, a community garden and a eventually a year round farmers’ market.