Milwaukee Fresh Food Access Fund Grants Awarded

The City of Milwaukee has identified seventeen different programs that increase access to, or information about, healthy food in underserved neighborhoods, and these programs will share a total of up to $200,000 in city-funded grants.

The Fresh Food Access Fund grant recipients are located in neighborhoods on the south side, the north side, and the west side of the city. All awardees are required to match the city funds, so the grants will leverage at least $400,000 for efforts that promote healthy foods.

“Good food is an important factor in overall health, and in parts of the city without convenient access to fresh food, residents are more vulnerable,” Mayor Tom Barrett said. “We are making investments to address disparities that affect the wellbeing of people in neighborhoods across Milwaukee.”

Alderman Khalif J. Rainey, a longtime advocate of providing fresh foods to underserved communities, is looking forward to funds being issued and utilized. “The current climate has shown how important it is to maintain healthy habits,” said Alderman Rainey. “I look forward to these dollars making an impact in the community by not only providing healthy food options, but also creating opportunities for employment and education around healthy lifestyles.”

Twelve of the recipients will offer educational programs that promote healthy eating. For example, CORE El Centro will conduct nutrition education and cooking workshops through as a part of their community supported agriculture (CSA) program, Heart Love Place will provide weekly gardening activities along with educational seminars, food tasting and meal prep, and Near West Side Partners will engage residents in their neighborhood’s mobile market, food pantry and produce stands.

Five more grants will go to Milwaukee agencies moving forward with projects that add buildings, equipment, and/or supplies. Examples of these capital projects include a healthy food grocery store in Sherman Park by D&Q Investments, a fresh food mini-market in Amani by By the BLOC LLC, and a small grocery store in the new Community Within the Corridor development by Scott Crawford Inc.

A review panel that included several representatives from outside city government considered all the applications for the Fresh Food Access Fund program. Individual grants range in size from a thousand dollars to tens-of-thousands of dollars for large capital projects.

The grant recipients will move ahead on their projects as current health order restrictions are lifted. The city will distribute the grants to the awardees once documented expenses are submitted.

The grant recipients are:

Education Grants Awarded:

• Bay View Community Center – $5,000
• Bloom MKE Inc – $1,200
• CORE El Centro Inc – $5,000
• Coesha LLC – $5,000
• Great Lakes Community Conversation – $1,000
• Groundwork Milwaukee – $5,000
• Healthy Food Unlimited – $5,000
• Heart Love Place – $5,000
• Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee – $5,000
• Near West Side Partners – $2,000
• Teens Grow Greens – $4,855
• Tikkun Ha-Ir of Milwaukee – $5,000

Capital Grants Awarded:

• By the Block LLC – $25,000
• DQ Investments – $50,000
• Interchange Food Pantry – $9,646
• Scott Crawford Inc. – $50,000
• Victory Garden Initiative – $24,600

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.