TULSA, Okla — The Soil Institute is a new non-profit that stands for "Serving Our Inner Light."
The organization has five core initiatives it wants to promote: food, water, health, shelter and belonging.
One of the non-profit's models has already started construction on a micro grocery store, that aims to provide under-served communities with food to decrease food insecurity.
It's just the first of several big projects the non-profit has in store to promote physical and mental health in the city.
Yousef Binageil is the Founder of the SOIL Institute.
He is a member of the Cherokee Nation and knows how much his community needs access to quality resources.
Part of his mission with the SOIL Institute is to connect the five tribes of Oklahoma: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee Creek, Seminole.
He wants them to help shape what they want to see in their communities as well as the values of the non-profit, to find out how to best help their people.
“We want people to make sure that we are catering to the human being and they matter," he said. "We want them to understand that whatever they do in this world benefits the next generation.”
The organization's new "Storehouse" is a solar-powered, micro-grocery store that will provide healthy options and food cultivated from local farmers.
Binageil said it will help boost the local economy while also addressing food insecurity.
“It's a 2300 square foot building, a vending machine, micro-grocery store that will accommodate the communities at large, primarily food deserts," said Binageil. “We're looking to expand this model further into the future to see how we can actually accommodate that for multiple applications.”
The organization has five different models, with the micro grocery store on Pine Street being the largest one in collaboration.
Others include a bus station and a university model.
The SOIL Institute is working on a significant project, similar to the micro grocery store, each year until 2030, all of which align with their core initiatives.
After five years, the non-profit will cease its work here in Tulsa, having accomplished its goals for the community.
Binageil said the Storehouse will continue to operate.
“The initiative is designed to give back to the community, so I want the voice of the community to stand out more," said Binageil. "I want them to be in control of these initiatives and place themselves in the soil and plant that for the future.”
For more information, you can visit the organization's website here or send them an email at info@thesoilinstitute.org.
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