Outlet of support

Jul. 10—MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Grocery Outlet co-owner Kris Emerson said the store's involvement in community projects is a way to pass on the support that was given to her and husband Paul, back in the beginning.

Those early days were a little bumpy, she said, with not a lot of money coming in, and people around them rallied to help out.

"We made a promise to ourselves that when we were in a position that we would give back, we would give back. We had so many people that surrounded us and supported us when we couldn't support ourselves that we thought it was incredibly important to pay that forward, so to speak," she said.

They've owned the Grocery Outlet, 1177 N. Stratford Road, for 21 years, and they have taken advantage of the opportunity.

"When we moved here and the store started becoming very successful, we remembered the promise that was made and we just started figuring out how to be part of this community," she said.

And supporting the community turns out to be just good business.

"How can I expect someone to come in and shop with me if I don't support something that's important to them?" she said. "When we're growing our business it's because of our customers."

Grocery Outlet stores work together but are independently owned. For the month of July all Grocery Outlet markets are part of the "Independence from Hunger" campaign, designed to raise money for local charities involved in fighting hunger. Money raised at the Moses Lake store will go to Care Moses Lake, Emerson said.

It's far from the only project at Grocery Outlet. Kris Emerson wrote a cookie cookbook each of the last two Christmas seasons and sold them, with the proceeds going to the toy drive and distribution sponsored by the Salvation Army. The 2022 cookbook will return for 2023, since there was some cookbook carryover, Emerson said.

Some bags of dog food that arrive in unsalable condition are donated to a local animal rescue organization. Grocery Outlet provides support to parent organizations at Moses Lake schools and for school activities. They've been a location for the Samaritan Healthcare turkey drive at recent Thanksgivings. They're supporters of the Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation.

"That's something that we believe in, mostly because everything stays here and helps local people that need it," she said.

Local organizations, and local projects, are the focus of their support.

"That's our other big thing. We want to give our help and support to community people. That live right here," she said.

The organizations they support appreciate the help. Angel Ledesma, cancer foundation director, said the Emersons and Grocery Outlet are supporters, year in and year out, of the Country Sweethearts Ball, the foundation's biggest fundraiser.

"They also allow us to have an open account to purchase vegetables for our bone broth and give us great deals for this program," Ledesma wrote in response to a Herald email. "They are awesome. We love Paul and Kris."

Michaelle Boetger is the coordinator for Care Moses Lake, which provides sack lunches, soup and snacks to organizations all around town.

"We are able to purchase almost everything we need for Care Sack lunches right at Grocery Outlet," Boetger wrote. "Working with Grocery Outlet is a partnership we cherish. Paul and Kris give so much, we feel honored to work alongside them in their community giving and hope more people visit Grocery Outlet to thank them in person for all they do."

Emerson said it's a cooperative effort, between the store and its customers.

"We're really just a conduit. We say, 'Hey, we know this is happening, we know there's a need here,' and we invite our customers to participate in it," she said. "So it really has become about being a community and saying, 'There's a need here. Can you support it?' And if people feel led to support it, great. If they don't, that's okay too."

Emerson said they have learned that there's a substantial network of people and organizations out there.

"It's been an interesting learning process. And working with Care Moses Lake now, our eyes are being opened to other organizations that we didn't even know were out there," she said. "I think that's important. If people are looking for some way to volunteer their time or give their money, or be involved in the community, is to find out who their local organizations are."

She has learned there's an interest for everyone, she said.

"My idea is, if you put all your eggs in one basket, then only one organization gets help. But if you spread it out, and try to help as many people as you can, then lots of organizations get help," she said.

And if people can't donate, they can help spread the word, she said.

However people respond, whether it's with money, time or getting the word out, Emerson said she's impressed with the way the community responds. Grocery Outlet puts its money and time to support the community, she said, and so do many of the people she meets.

"Honestly, I sit here in awe most of the time at the absolute total generosity of this community," she said.

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.