About Rolling Grocer 19
Rolling Grocer 19 (RG19) is a year round, full-service grocery store located in Hudson, NY. We also offer curbside and delivery options in the Hudson area.
RG19 represents a community-driven response to the immediate challenges of a food and economically insecure environment that currently exists in Columbia county. RG19 offers a wide range of wholesome products, including fresh produce, dairy, bread, grains, meat, seafood, non-perishables, toiletries and other miscellaneous products.
Our intention is to provide convenient, quality food for all - no matter income level - with a priority placed on low-income residents. Food is made affordable through a fair pricing system, similar to sliding scale (see Fair Pricing System for more details). The store also provides a market for local farmers and producers, prioritizing sourcing from environmentally-conscious farmers and distributors in our area, and therefore supporting the direct reinvestment of local spending back into community businesses.
Offering an array of local & regionally produced items.
History & Background
In 2016, HVA, in collaboration with other organizations including Long Table Harvest, began a multi-year research and development effort to address food insecurity in the county through a grant from the Fresh and Healthy Food for All initiative at Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation (BTCF). Soon thereafter, Hudson River Bank & Trust Foundation joined as a multi-year funder of the resulting project, a Columbia County mobile market (aka RG19).
The mobile market was born out of discussions with the Hudson Core Group, which was formed in the fall of 2017 as a community-driven action group to create opportunities for change in the local food system. Over 80 local community members involved in food-related industries across the county—including farms, food pantries, distributors, food retailers, community-based organizations and public agencies—contributed to the project’s development. By the summer of 2018, listening sessions were held around the Hudson community.
From September through December 2018, RG19 sold food in multiple locations across Hudson five days a week. Because the mobile unit faced challenges in the coldest months, opening a storefront in Hudson became a priority. In February 2019, a multi-year lease was signed for the current 2nd St location. Shortly thereafter, RG19 established a weekly delivery service to New Lebanon in the northeast area of Columbia County.
The endeavor—which was successfully incubated by HVA employees and community volunteers and seeded by the Fresh and Healthy Food for All initiative at BTCF—is taking the next step in its mission to keep food moving to the community, for the community, by the community. RG19 is now fiscally-sponsored by the Chester Agricultural Center as a next step in its journey to become a fully independent organization and focus deeply on bringing food directly to the communities that need it.
The mission of Chester Agricultural Center (CAC) is to help grow an equitable and inclusive regional food system. “We see a future where land is affordable to diverse, aspiring farmers, where food is accessible to all, and where we respect and steward the unique soils and eco-system in our care.”
CAC’s mission and vision come alive through its work, which includes a land lease program, regenerative agricultural practices for Chester’s Black Dirt, support for language justice, support and training for farm workers, providing a space for community convening, learning and celebrations, and the creation of an innovative housing model for farmers, farm workers and visitors.
Additionally, Hawthorne Valley Association (HVA) continues to offer mission-critical logistical support to food buying access through their existing relationships with natural food distributors.
In a statement from key stakeholder and head buyer, Selha Graham, “Keeping good food moving to families who live/work in Columbia county is paramount. So many things about Hudson will change if people who lack mobility can access good food at reasonable prices for their kids.”