Forbes honored 2020 College graduate Alexandre Imbot and 2021 College graduate Eli Moraru on its 2026 30 Under 30 list for social impact in recognition of their efforts to reshape nutritional assistance programs and fight health inequity.
Imbot and Moraru were honored as co-founders of The Community Grocer, which provides hot, nutritious meals in accordance with federal guidance for people enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. According to Forbes’ profile, the organization has raised more than $2.4 million in total funding and serves more than 10,000 people across Philadelphia.
In a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, Moraru — who graduated from Penn with a degree in political science and a minor in survey research and data analytics — described the significance of his inclusion on the list.
“This recognition from Forbes is a continuation of our shared mission to make eating well easier for all, the same mission that began on the street corner of 30th & Moore during our undergraduate years at Penn,” Moraru wrote. “We’re grateful to serve as stewards of a collective vision created by — and for — our neighbors, and we remain committed to carrying that vision forward every day.”
Imbot, who majored in environmental science at Penn, told the DP in 2023 that TCG helps community members access hot foods — which SNAP recipients are not permitted to buy with their benefits — by allowing them to purchase ingredients for a prepared meal.
According to TCG’s website, all food at the organization’s storefront is SNAP eligible, ranging “from breakfast to after-school snacks to family dinners.” After purchasing a meal kit, community members can “walk just next door” to exchange it for a hot version prepared by the Walton Avenue Resident Action Committee.
“This honor is not just about two individuals,” Imbot and Moraru wrote in a joint statement to the DP. “It’s a celebration of a collective effort: neighbors guiding our decisions, partners investing in our growth, young people shaping our workforce programs, and donors who believe that access to fresh, healthy food is a right — not a privilege.”
TCG’s flagship location is located in Cobbs Creek at the intersection of 60th Street and Walton Avenue.
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Construction for its 2026 launch has continued after the organization broke ground at its storefront in September 2023 — an advancement made possible by the $100,000 award to the organization through the President’s Sustainability Prize, which former Interim Penn President Wendell Pritchett awarded to Moraru in April 2022.
“As we prepare for our launch, we invite partners, supporters, and donors to join us in this next chapter,” Imbot and Moraru added. “The momentum is real — and the opportunity to transform food access in Philadelphia and beyond has never been greater.”
In May 2024, TCG partnered with Penn Medicine to study the food habits of Cobbs Creek residents, distributing over $10,000 in compensation to participants. The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in August.
The two have received numerous awards and recognitions for their work with TCG. In May, Imbot received the Rockefeller Foundation’s Big Bets Fellowship. Both were recognized by Philadelphia Business Journal’s Inno Under 25 honor in April 2024.
“The Forbes recognition affirms what our community has known all along: when we build together, we create impact worth celebrating,” Imbot and Moraru wrote.
