Bodega Makeover

Bodega Makeover, similar to Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Hotel Impossible and This Old House, is a docu-reality web series providing store improvements and healthy eating options for local neighborhoods.

The Problem

With all the healthy eating craze, Urban farms and rooftop farming that are being built in every city, Bodegas are lagging behind, though they are the heart of the community. Here are the current issues:

Food Deserts
When you live a mile or more in distance from a supermarket/bodega, and have limited access to fresh produce, meats, and healthy foods. Food deserts contribute to the U.S. obesity epidemic. About 23.5 million people live in food deserts. Nearly half of them are also low-income. Approximately 2.3 million people (2.2% of all US households) live in low-income, rural areas that are more than 10 miles from a supermarket.

Food Swamp
A place where unhealthy foods are more readily available than healthy foods. This includes foods that are dense in calories, high in sodium, and high in sugar.

Product Display
Some Bodegas are not equipped to display products properly which prevents movement of inventory.

The Solution

The focus is to highlight the story of the bodega owners, local community residents, and organizations. Local community organizations and sponsors will assist with the bodega transformation. Physically transforming the bodega, while also providing the necessary training in areas such as economic development, marketing, and customer service, is the first step to successfully improving the community’s quality of life.

A refurbished bodega can:

• Attract more customers
• Increase community engagement
• Be better equipped to maintain fresh produce
• Serve as a brand advocate
• Create more jobs

Bodega Makeover: Mission

• Our main aims are to promote healthier options, and to tell the stories of Hispanic/Urban communities that have less access to healthy food, while simultaneously connecting families and communities.
• Bodega Makeover will travel where it is needed to ensure fresh and reliable food supplies are available.
• Each episode will dive deep into the personal life of a bodega owner. We will generate stories by connecting with non-profit organizations who are working on community development.
• Empowering business through community investment.

EVELYN BRITO – Executive Producer

Evelyn Brito is a creative film producer, screenwriter, and director with over 15 years of professional experience in the entertainment industry. She is also an event and marketing manager with several years’ experience in planning events, booking qualified speakers, and engaging attendees.

She’s managed several events through her career as well. In addition to the Irish Solas Awards and the Roxbury Multicultural Festival, Ms. Brito has also managed Color Magazine’s Women of Color Leadership and Empowerment Conference, Men of Color Leadership Conference, and the All-Inclusive Awards.

Ms. Brito’s film career started in 2001 as a comedy producer for BOOM TV on channel 23 Boston Neighborhood Network in Boston, Massachusetts. She held this role for six years, during which she worked as a stage manager for various events and TV productions, videos, and film shorts for local directors.

In 2010, Ms. Brito wrote, produced and directed a scripted series called STRIPPED, which highlighted the juvenile detention system and gang squads. She worked as the Production Manager for a theatrical comedy show, Macho Men and the Women Who Love Them at the famous Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

Ms. Brito is currently the writer and executive producer of Bodega Makeover. Bodega Makeover, similar to Extreme Makeover Home Edition, is a docu-reality web series providing store improvements and healthy eating options for local neighborhoods. The host will meet with the business owner to discuss any issues the bodega is facing, act as a consultant, and bring community health experts and designers in the process.

Evelyn Brito was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. She got her Associates Degree in Visual Communications from Katherine Gibbs School and studied Film Production at the Los Angeles Film School in Hollywood, California. Her greatest passion is to be behind the scenes—producing and directing. Her experience working for nonprofits gives her a unique perspective to write stories that are socially relevant to her local community.