As they close their local market and empty out their inventory this week, Manhattan Grocery owners Matthew and Heather Kim have donated thousands of dollars of food and supplies to mothers in coordination with the local
Single Mom Project nonprofit.
On Saturday, the family assembled grocery packages worth $250 to $270 to nearly 20 mothers who are clients of the
Richstone Family Center and who were recently awarded grants through the Single Mom Project.
"We just experienced some of our darkest days, but being able to bless the honorees of the Single Mom Project has not only been a bright light for our family but an honor and even bigger blessing for me," Heather Kim told MB News. "These women do it all alone and I'm amazed at their attitude and resilience through their dark times."
Manhattan Grocery is seeking to empty its inventory quickly. (The store is having a Buy One, Get One Free sale through 8:00 p.m. on December 31.)
"Everything Good About Manhattan Beach"
With assistance from the Neptunian Woman’s Club and Councilmember Joe Franklin, the Kims connected with Janet Jones, who co-founded the Single Mom Project with her sons.
"I'm so grateful to Joe Franklin and the Neptunians for bringing us together," said Heather Kim. "I truly believe that there are no accidents and we were brought together by a higher power who has never let me down."
According to Jones, the women frequently face food insecurity, which can be "incredibly frightening" for a single parent. Each of the women had been recent recipients of $1,000 grants from the Single Mom Project to help them get on steadier financial footing.
Jones told MB News that the Kims' donations represented a story of "turning tragedy into kindness."
"This effort represents everything good about Manhattan Beach," added Jones, who noted that the recipients were "euphoric" about the grocery windfall.
The Kims have run Manhattan Grocery on Manhattan Ave. for the past 21 years. They bought the store together when they got married in 2003.
While running sales to liquidate their inventory over the past few days, they have had help from loyal friends and customers. Councilmember Joe Franklin, for instance, was on hand over the weekend to help with bagging duties.
Single Mom Project Provides Grants to Local Mothers in Need
The Single Mom Project was founded by Manhattan Beach resident Janet Jones, along with her sons Evan and Carter. When she was a young single mother, Jones had received a life-changing monetary gift from a friend, and she and her sons later vowed to "give back" by providing for others in need.
The Single Mom Project provides grants to hard-working single mothers who are clients of the Richstone Family Center in Hawthorne. The Single Mom Project honors new recipients annually on the Saturday before Mother’s Day. At this year's celebration, the group awarded $1,000 grants to nearly 50 local mothers - for a total of $50,000 in grants.
In 2023, the Leadership Manhattan Beach class worked in partnership with the Single Mom Project to overhaul and expand a food pantry for single-parent families at the Richstone Family Center in Hawthorne.
