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New Convenience Store Has a Different Cause

A new convenience store is opening at 33 Bernhard Road, and its purpose goes beyond selling goods for profit.

Behavioral Management, LLC, started the store, in its building to give opportunities to individuals with behavioral and emotional disorders. The goal is to give those individuals the skills they need to put them in the community, as opposed to trying to fit them in the community without the proper skills.

Russell Bernstein of Behavioral Management said that the store, called Hunger Management, currently has three employees who staff the register and conduct tallies and inventories of goods, which include sodas, popcorn, and other snacks. The workers will be supervised by a Behavioral Management staff member.

Bernstein said that all funds received from the store go toward paying its employees, and will also be put toward potential expansion, which would include being able to hire more employees for the store and the possibility of a food cart.

It also serves as a self-esteem boost for the workers. Behavioral Management Operations Director Kai Barboza said that one worker’s demeanor has been “markedly different” since she began working at the store.

“They can be themselves in this environment,” said Behavioral Management founder Neil Quatrano.

The location of Hunger Management is close to other business in the area such as Powerhouse Gym, Empire Paving, and a salon. Bernstein hopes employees and patrons of those businesses will visit the store once they know the cause behind it.

The store held a grand opening to the public on June 16.

Quatrano said that in addition to the store, Behavioral Management services about 45 children in a therapeutic after-school program, and about 30 children for a summer program.