‘Grocery store in a school’: Market opens at Mojave High School

Mojave High School students and their families will be able to get fresh groceries at no cost, thanks to a new market opening on campus.

The Just One Project, a nonprofit mobile food pantry, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday for the “Community Market at Mojave High School” in North Las Vegas.

It’s the organization’s third community market at a Clark County School District site. And it’s the first inside a high school.

Brooke Neubauer, founder and CEO of The Just One Project, said Wednesday that it’s essentially a “grocery store in a school” that will offer items such as fresh produce, proteins and dairy.

“This, we’re hoping, helps kids stay focused on school so they don’t have to focus on where their family’s next meal is coming from,” she said.

The market is open during school hours from 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday by appointment only. It serves students and their families, as well as school employees.

In addition to groceries, the organization offers services such as homeless prevention and housing assistance.

The appointment-only system allows for The Just One Project’s case managers — who staff the market — to spend one-on-one attention with clients, Neubauer said.

The market is opening thanks to a two-year collaboration between The Just One Project and UnitedHealthcare Health Plan of Nevada Medicaid.

The health insurer is pledging more than $668,000 to support three markets at school district sites and a “Groceries-on-the-Go” program.

“They were really invested in helping families and children that face food insecurity, but more importantly, they wanted to help deep dive with case management,” Neubauer said.

Kelly Simonson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Health Plan of Nevada Medicaid, said in a statement that the health insurer is “committed to helping people live healthier lives.”

“Access to healthy, nutritious food is essential for our communities to thrive, ” she said in the statement. “We are honored to partner with The Just One Project and Clark County School District to open this community market and help underserved communities access necessary food and supplies.”

The first of the three markets opened in August at the school district’s Family Support Center on South Maryland Parkway. Another is planned for Manch Elementary School in northeast Las Vegas.

Case managers help families who are facing eviction or struggling financially to stay in their homes, such as assisting with water or power bills, Neubauer said.

The Mojave High market will offer students a bit of independence if they’re currently relying on a parent who goes to a food pantry, Neubauer said.

A student can go to the market after school, for example, to shop for the groceries they or their household needs, she said.

It’s also a departure from what schools are usually able to offer.

“A typical school pantry oftentimes doesn’t have refrigeration, so they’re very limited on what they can provide,” Neubauer said.

The Just One Project was founded in 2014 and serves about 20,000 Southern Nevada residents each month. Its first market inside a school opened in January 2023 at Garside Junior High School.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com. Follow @julieswootton on X.