There are good corner stores, and there are good neighbors. And then, there are both. When Alison and Alphonzo, the brother-sister duo behind Boxcar Grocer, set up shop in Castleberry Hill at the beginning of the year, they became the first real place in the area where people could buy food that didn't come in a can, creating an oasis of good food amidst a desert of convenience stores. But beyond organic veggies and all-natural soaps, Boxcar has also brought a healthy dose of community to the 'hood. And they're working to spread the neighborly Boxcar goodness around.

Before Boxcar even opened its doors, they had a mission in mind: to be "a place that recognizes the health of a nation begins with the health of its individual communities." We love our neighborhood markets and corner groceries, but few are as immersed in food justice and doing good for the community as Boxcar. More than simply providing a space for neighbors to shop, Boxcar set out to be a resource for communities stranded in "food deserts" — areas in which healthy food is hard to obtain. And before they opened, the people of Castleberry, Mechanicsville, and the West End who didn't have steady transportation might only be able to swoop up some pork rinds and Ramen at the Northside Texaco or the West End Save-a-Lot. Boxcar is changing that, but they're not done yet.

Alison and Alphonzo have made it a goal to provide three brand-new Boxcar groceries in food deserts around the metro Atlanta area by 2014. Watch the below video to see the amazing work this team has already done, and the work they plan to do with our help: