Episode 30 - Michael and Marckus

When COVID hit our communities in early 2019, we paused our Lunch at the Mill podcast series to follow proper social distancing protocols. The pandemic certainly took a lot away from us over the past few years, but it also provided some interesting opportunities. In that time, Cook Medical has partnered with other like-minded organizations to work on a unique project that serves as a model for how organizations across all sectors can come together to create positive social change.

The 38th and Sheridan project is a collective of business, not-for-profits, and community partners who are using their expertise and resources to help bring opportunity back to an underserved community in Northeast Indianapolis. These organizations are working alongside the community to build a medical device manufacturing facility that will bring over 100 jobs to the neighborhood, as well as a new full-service grocery store that will bring a much needed food source to the community.

We recorded a special series of virtual podcasts around the 38th and Sheridan project, including interviews with:

• Kent Kramer, president and CEO of Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana
• Ashley Gurvitz, Chief Executive Officer at United Northeast CDC (ANU/UNEC) 
• Keith Graves, District 13 Indianapolis City County Councilor
• Joyce Randolph and James Campbell, Neighborhood association presidents in Northeast Indianapolis
• Tom Guevara, Lecturer and Director at the Indiana University Public Policy Institute
• “Joe the Grocer”, Retail Supermarket Consultant
• Michael McFarland and Marckus Williams, owners and operators of the Indy Fresh Market