MILWAUKEE — The City of Milwaukee has launched a new round of grant funding for 2023 focusing on healthy food access.
The Fresh Food Access Fund (FFAF) provides financial support to activities that increase fresh food access in underserved communities. FFAF is available to for-profit and not-for-profit businesses aligned with the goal of the fund.
Maurice Wince is the owner of Sherman Park Grocery, who is a past recipient of the grant. He said prior to opening the store a year ago, the neighborhood lacked a full-scale grocery store.
Wince said their success over the past year has come from hard work, but that’s also because of the help of the Fresh Food Access Grant.
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“Now that our doors are open, we’re fighting childhood obesity, cholesterol, and diabetes,” Wince said.
Wince said they applied for this grant and decided to open the store because they saw a need in the community.
“We are one of 13 food deserts throughout the city of Milwaukee,” said Wince. “Its impact and reach has been overwhelming and well received by the community,” he said
Ramona Edwards is a frequent shopper at Sherman Park Grocery. As a mother of two, she’s glad her children can also benefit from a family-friendly place in the area.
(Spectrum News 1/Katarina Velazquez)
Edwards said having a grocery store in his neighborhood for the past year has been a big benefit.
“The produce still stayed at an affordable level,” she said. “You can come here and still get the same pricing you had before COVID.”
Alderman Khalif J. Rainey is an advocate of providing fresh foods to underserved communities.
“I was proud to lead the Common Council legislation that created the Fresh Food Access Fund to support healthier families and neighborhoods in Milwaukee,” said Alderman Rainey. “I look forward to these dollars making an impact on the community by expanding access to healthy food options and promoting healthier lifestyles for residents.”
(Spectrum News 1/Katarina Velazquez)
Grants can go toward a range of initiatives that promote healthy food goals. The Fresh Food Access Fund is expected to draw grant applications that add and improve healthy food access at retail locations and not-for-profit agencies.
In previous years, matching Fresh Food Access Fund grants were awarded to 41 different projects.
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