A nonprofit grocery store in Canton is closed Tuesday after an overnight burglary.
Police are looking for a suspect who broke the glass door and stole about $500 cash from the Downtown Canton location of StarkFresh, Executive Director Tom Phillips said.
StarkFresh sells affordable food in impoverished areas in Stark County, including in Canton and Alliance, he said. The agency also operates a county-wide mobile delivery service.
About 100 people shop at the Canton store each day, according to Phillips. For many of the customers, it’s their only option for fresh, affordable food, he said.
“They’re grabbing a bag or two to take home and give them food for a couple days,” Phillips said. "Being closed for a day or two - we’ll get over it here on our end, but it hurts people who are looking for food and rely on this place to sustain themselves."
The store primarily serves residents who live downtown or in the surrounding neighborhoods, which are considered food deserts, areas where residents do not have access to affordable, healthy food, he said.
Many of the regular customers walk to the store or take public transportation, Phillips added.
It’s not yet known how much it will cost to repair the glass door, which was custom fit to the building, but the damage could have long-term effects, he added.
“Anything that costs us money that’s above and beyond what we’re already doing takes away, basically, from our programming, which is our ability to offer food at the lowest price as possible that we can," Phillips said.
This isn’t the first time StarkFresh’s services have been impacted by theft. In 2022, thieves cut through the fence at the Downtown Canton location and stole catalytic converters from the fleet of mobile delivery vehicles. That left about 100 people without their regular source of groceries, officials said.
The store will be closed for at least a day to repair the door, Phillips added. He and the other staff members are keeping a positive outlook.
“I’m sure that when we open back up in a day or two, I’m sure that the people that are coming in are going to tell us about how much they missed us, how much we’re needed, and that’s what helps you keep going,” Phillips said.
