Newark has opened five community grocery stores, one in each of the city's wards, offering food and household supplies.

The stores grew out of emergency food hubs established across the city during last winter's government shutdown. Mayor Ras Baraka said the city decided to make the program permanent following the temporary effort.

The stores carry fresh produce, dairy products, meat, dry goods and household supplies. No membership or minimum purchase is required, according to the city. Newark says all five locations will soon accept SNAP and WIC benefits.

The locations are:

Newark cited food access as a reason for placing a store in every ward. The city says more than 183,000 residents — more than half its population — live within one of four areas in Newark designated as Food Desert Communities by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

The city says all four rank among the eight most severe of New Jersey's 50 designated communities. Newark South ranks third, Newark West fourth, Newark North & Central seventh and Newark East eighth.

Newark's Office of Sustainability, Resilience and Community Transformation will oversee the program.