This engaging episode of Key Community Leaders on the Progressive Access Zone podcast, sponsored by the Hispanic Community Counseling Service, features host Atlas X in conversation with Stacey Dowling, Community Engagement Director for Brown's ShopRite/Fresh Grocer supermarkets, kicking off the 2026 season.

Stacey discusses his path from bakery manager to HR to his current role, and details the company's community-facing work: hiring returning citizens and formerly incarcerated individuals, partnering with schools, nonprofits, and job fairs, and expanding into new Philadelphia-area and New Jersey locations. The conversation also digs into the practical realities of entrepreneurship through Brown's business incubator program, covering topics like understanding true business costs versus hobby spending, weighing brick-and-mortar growth against product expansion, and balancing a steady paycheck with launching a new venture — alongside a candid look at how SNAP benefit cuts are straining both supermarkets and local food pantries.