Program invests in capital projects and education efforts
The City of Milwaukee has identified twenty-four different programs that increase access to, or information about, healthy food in underserved neighborhoods, and these programs will share a total of up to $400,000 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 $800,000 for efforts that promote healthy foods.
“Milwaukee neighborhoods that lack healthy food options and information leave residents vulnerable. And, these same neighborhoods have been disproportionately impacted by Covid-19,” Mayor Tom Barrett said. “City government is making an investment to improve access to nutritious food in order to address one part of this health issue.”
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, Heart- Love Place’s Community Garden program will expand with educational programs that promote healthy food and nutrition; Core El Centro will add new workshops to its wellness and nutrition programs; and, Bayview Community Center will use the grant to support its Family Chefs program in partnership with local professional chefs.
Twelve more grants will go to Milwaukee agencies moving forward with projects that add buildings, equipment, and/or supplies. Examples of these capital projects include expansion of the community garden at the Muslim Community Health Center on the south side, various improvements at North Division High School to expand the Greener, Healthier Schoolyards project, and a new Fresh and Healthy Grocery Store inside St. Joseph Hospital on the west side sponsored by the Hunger Task Force.
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 several thousand dollars to tens-of-thousands of dollars for large capital projects.
The grant recipients will move ahead on their projects as current Safer At Home restrictions are eased. The city will distribute the grants to the awardees once documented expenses are submitted.
A full list of grant recipients is as follows.
Fresh Food Access Fund Grant Awardees:
Educational Programs
$5,000 – Bayview Community Center
$5,000 – Children’s Community Health Plan
$5,000 – Core EL Centro $5,000 – Cross Lutheran Church
$5,000 – Dominican Center for Women
$5,000 – FoodRight
$5,000 – HeartLove Place Inc
$1,500 – Near West Side Partners
$3,525 – Northwest Side CDC
$5,000 – The Gathering of Southeast WI
$3,200 – Tikkun Ha-lr of Milwaukee
$4,055 -YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee
Capital Programs
$38,840 – The Table Alice’s Garden
$37,500 – Walnut Way
$25,000 – Friedens Community Ministries
$55,000 – Milwaukee Board of School Directors
$17,600 – Groundwork Milwaukee
$10,000 – MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary
$55,000 – Victory Garden
$50,000 – Hunger Task Force
$12,780 – Housing Authority of the City Milwaukee
$10,000 – Pickle Alley Produce
$10,000 – Muslim Community Health Center
$21,200 – Mt Calvary Community Development
