AJ Johnson, the owner of Oasis Fresh Market, took on the challenge of addressing one of Oklahoma's most severe food deserts: North Tulsa. He created a modern, welcoming grocery store stocked with fresh produce, everyday essentials, and a helpful staff. But AJ understood that selling groceries was just one piece of the puzzle for meeting this community’s broader needs.

Food deserts, he points out, often represent deeper issues like gaps in education, employment, transportation, child care, and health care. That’s why Oasis is more than just a grocery store—it’s a one-of-a-kind nonprofit and for-profit hybrid. Alongside fresh food, it provides vital community services such as rent and utility assistance, clinical health care, and job resources.