About the project
The Katamon Food Cooperative was established in 1993 to provide a cheaper alternative to local supermarkets. The co-op buys food from wholesalers, and volunteers operate the store to enable it to sell food at prices that are 25%-40% cheaper than at grocery stores and supermarkets. Community Advocacy, a social rights organization established the co-op to address the problem of poverty and to develop community involvement in the Katamonim neighborhoods. (In 2002, four in every ten families in the Katamonim received welfare assistance and nearly half of all residents earned less than the average wage). The Jerusalem Foundation has supported building renovations and equipment purchase. The co-op served as a pilot venture that was later replicated in the Kiryat Menachem and Gilo neighborhoods.
