New funding for retailers who helped sustain food access
New funding is available to support food retailers in Pennsylvania who remained open and adapted to life under the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Tom Wolf announced Thursday that $10 million is available for food sellers through the federal CARES Act.
“Pennsylvania’s food retailers stepped up to the plate to protect those putting food on the shelf, to think outside of the box to protect the most vulnerable, and to make investments to support those using assistance programs such as SNAP and WIC to support their families,” Mr. Wolf said in a statement.
“I will be forever grateful to those who have worked hard to ensure food is always accessible through this pandemic; our frontline workers in grocery stores and farmers markets are among Pennsylvania’s heroes.”
The new Fresh Food Financing Initiative COVID-19 Relief Fund — funded through the federal CARES Act — is available to for-profit, nonprofit or cooperative entities impacted by COVID-19.
That includes grocery stores, corner stores, convenience stores, neighborhood markets, bodegas, food hubs, mobile markets, farmers markets, on-farm markets, urban farms and food aggregation centers with a direct connection to direct-to-consumer retail outlets.
These stores were deemed essential businesses as many others were temporarily shut down in an attempt to slow the spread of the
highly contagious virus.
To be eligible, more than 50% of an organization’s sales must be from staple and perishable foods to consumers, and the retailer must serve customers that live in a low-to-moderate income area.
Applicants must also provide access to affordable, high-quality fresh produce, meat and dairy products and other healthy grocery items for low- to moderate-income shoppers and must accept SNAP and WIC to the maximum extent possible.
Pennsylvania has been using CARES Act funds to target other areas, such as small businesses, impacted by the pandemic.
“This pandemic has revealed many things, one of the most prevalent has been about where our food comes from — how it gets from the farm to those who need it. This relief fund is about strengthening the local food system and improving food security and nutrition,” Russell Redding, secretary for the state Department of Agriculture, said in a news release.
“We need to stimulate local economies, increase market opportunities for Pennsylvania farmers, create jobs, and contribute to better health by improving access to fresh, local foods — we need to feed Pennsylvania, now and in the years to come. And that is all a part of this initiative.”
The program is being administered by the state Department of Agriculture in partnership with the state Department of Community and Economic Development. Applications will be accepted through Aug. 14.
Grant funds will be distributed to eligible applicants for impacts related to COVID-19 that have been incurred between March 1 and Nov. 30, such as:
• Higher operating costs related to cleaning and social distancing requirements.
• Infrastructure improvements including renovation, new construction or adaptive reuse directly related to COVID-19.
• Equipment purchases that improve the availability of quality fresh food, such as additional refrigeration to manage volume, or personal protective equipment, such as Plexiglas dividers.
• Inventory (higher cost of goods, higher transportation or delivery costs or procuring Pennsylvania-grown produce, meat and dairy products or loss of product).
• Innovative food access technology, such as mobile or pop-up markets or mobile EBT reader technology.
• Costs to expand access to Pennsylvania grown or processed produce, dairy and meat products or provide stable market access for Pennsylvania farmers that have lost or limited markets.
• Other one-time or increased expenses incurred related to COVID-19.
Priority will be given to businesses owned by minorities and serving low-income, minority communities, as well as to businesses located in or serving a USDA-designated food desert and businesses sourcing and selling Pennsylvania grown or processed products.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the vulnerability of so many people who are struggling with food insecurity, especially how food deserts disproportionately impact communities of color,” said state Sen. Tim Kearney, DChester, Delaware.