USDA Provides Funding to Increase Equitable Access to More Healthy Foods For People in Wisconsin

Stevens Point, Wis. Nov. 1, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Wisconsin State Director Julie Lassa today announced that the Department is investing $150,000 to increase equitable access to healthy foods in southeastern Wisconsin.

The grant to Alford-Retail Grocery Store & Shared Commercial Kitchen in Kenosha for $150,000 is part of a larger investment of invest nearly $6 million to improve access to healthy foods in underserved communities across the country.

This investment is being made through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Planning Grant Program, which provides grants to organizations for healthy food retail or food retail supply chain projects in early-stage planning and predevelopment phases.

“By increasing access to more affordable and nutritious foods, this project will have a transformative impact on the community’s health and well-being while creating a more equitable and vibrant neighborhood for generations to come,” Lassa said. “This initiative brings us closer to our goal of more healthy foods for everyone in Wisconsin, regardless of their address or postal code.”

The grant will be used by the Alford-Retail Grocery Store & Shared Commercial Kitchen to support planning and predevelopment activities that will lay the groundwork for this project through market research, community engagement, and feasibility studies. Site selection, design charrettes, and economic modeling will inform the development of a comprehensive master plan that outlines the project’s scope, timeline, and budget. Through these interconnected elements, the project aims to create a sustainable food system that empowers community members to make healthy choices, employs local residents, and revitalizes the neighborhood’s economic vitality.

USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced today that USDA is partnering with the Reinvestment Fund to invest nearly $6 million to improve access to healthy foods in underserved communities across the country.

These announcements are part of the USDA’s comprehensive set of efforts, bolstered by funding made available through the American Rescue Plan Act, to create more and better markets that benefit both producers and American consumers.

HFFI is designed to support new and expanded markets for a diversity of growers while helping people across the nation access affordable, healthy foods.

Today’s announcement includes investments that will support planning activities for 45 projects to develop or expand food retail and food retail supply chain business models. Projects announced today will increase access to healthy food for people living in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

Background

Many low-income communities lack adequate, affordable access to healthy food. HFFI provides grants and loans to entities that offer healthy foods in communities that are underserved by grocery stores and other food retailers. The program increases access to healthy foods, provides new market opportunities for farmers and ranchers, stabilizes small and independent retailers, and creates good-paying jobs and economic opportunity in low-income communities.

Through HFFI, USDA partners with Reinvestment Fund to bring healthy food options to underserved rural, urban and Tribal communities. Reinvestment Fund serves as the National Fund Manager for USDA. It raises capital; provides financial and technical assistance to regional, state and local partnerships; and helps fund projects to improve access to fresh, healthy foods in underserved areas.

In August 2023, Reinvestment Fund expanded America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative to include the new HFFI Local and Regional Healthy Food Financing Partnerships Program.

In June 2024, the Reinvestment Fund expanded the Healthy Food Financing Initiative to include the Food Access and Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. Visit the Rural Data Gateway to learn how and where these investments are impacting rural America. To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit the GovDelivery Subscriber Page.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

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.