City Awards $100K in Fresh Food Grants

Produce at Sherman Park Grocery. Photo taken July 15, 2022 by Sophie Bolich.

Each day at Food For Health, chefs work diligently to prepare, package and distribute medically-tailored meals to Milwaukeeans who have — or are at risk of developing — type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and other medical conditions.

The public charity, headquartered in Bronzeville, has made it a goal to address community health through food and lifestyle interventions.

A recent grant from the City of Milwaukee’s Fresh Food Access Fund (FFAF) will help to further that mission.

Food For Health is one of seven organizations selected for the 2024 grant, city officials announced Tuesday. Additional recipients include 4th Dimension Sobriety, Ebenezer Stone Ministries, Friedens Food Pantries, Hundred Acre, Riverworks Development Corporation and The Gathering of Southeast Wisconsin.

The group, a mix of for-profit and nonprofit organizations, will receive a total of $100,000 to bolster efforts to increase the availability of healthy food options in underserved areas.

Awardees are required to match the funds received, meaning the grants will leverage a minimum of $200,000 for healthy food access across the city.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson shared his enthusiasm for the latest round of grants and praised their potential to create positive health outcomes.

“Milwaukeeans in every zip code deserve access to fresh and healthy foods,” he said in a statement. “These funds will make a direct impact in our neighborhoods by encouraging healthier lifestyles.”

FFAF grants have been ongoing for several years, with notable past recipients including Fondy, Sherman Park Grocery and HoneyBee Sage Apothecary & Herbal Beverage Lounge. A total of 48 different projects were funded by matching grants in previous years, according to a news release.

This year’s recipients will allocate the funds to new equipment, garden beds, healthy vending machines and other purchases.

4th Dimension Sobriety, a sober living center, will use its $5,000 to upgrade existing garden beds with the goal of growing fresh food. Ebenezer Stone Ministries plans to spend $25,000 on new refrigeration equipment for meat and dairy storage. Friedens Food Pantries, which received $20,000, will also purchase new refrigeration equipment.

With an eye on community outreach, Food For Health will spend $20,000 to install Smart Snack healthy vending machines at various locations across the city. Hundred Acre, an urban hydroponic farm that aims to address food insecurity, received $20,000 to purchase a delivery van.

Riverworks Development Corporation will apply its $5,000 grant to purchase and install signage along the Beerline Trail.  Additional funding will go towards equipment for the Riverwest Farmers Market.

The Gathering of SE Wisconsin, a nonprofit hunger-relief organization, plans to apply the $5,000 grant to a new freezer.

Department of City Development Commissioner Lafayette Crump touted the grants, noting that he’s eager to see the program’s continued effects.

“I want to thank our community partners who are providing fresh and nutritious foods to Milwaukee families and children, especially to those in underserved areas,” he said in a statement. “We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to fostering healthier and stronger Milwaukee neighborhoods through the Fresh Food Access Fund.”

Additional information regarding the FFAF program is available online.