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Produce at Sherman Park Grocery. Photo taken by Sophie Borich on July 15, 2022.
Every day at Food For Health, chefs work hard to prepare, package and distribute medically tailored meals for Milwaukee residents who have or are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and other conditions.
The Bronzeville-based public charity aims to address local health issues through dietary and lifestyle interventions.
A recent grant from the City of Milwaukee’s Fresh Food Access Fund (FFAF) will help further this mission.
City officials announced Tuesday that Food for Health is one of seven organizations selected for grant funding in fiscal year 2024. Other grant recipients include 4th Dimension Sobriety, Ebenezer Stone Ministries, Friedens Food Pantries, Hundred Acre, Riverworks Development Corporation and The Gathering of Southeast Wisconsin.
The mixed for-profit and nonprofit organization will receive a total of $100,000 to bolster its efforts to increase healthy food options in underserved areas.
Award recipients are required to match funds received, and the grants will leverage a minimum of $200,000 to improve access to healthy food across the city.
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Mayor Cavalier Johnson shared her enthusiasm for the latest grant, praising its potential to produce positive health outcomes.
“Residents in every Milwaukee zip code deserve access to fresh, healthy food,” he said in a statement. “These funds will have a direct impact on our communities by encouraging healthier lifestyles.”
FFAF grants have been ongoing for several years, with notable past grant recipients including Fondy, Sherman Park Grocery and HoneyBee Sage Apothecary & Herbal Beverage Lounge. A total of 48 projects have been funded through matching grants over the past few years, according to a news release.
This year’s donation recipients will use the funds to purchase new equipment, flower beds, health food vending machines and other items.
4th Dimension Sobriety, a sober living center, will use $5,000 to improve an existing garden with the goal of growing fresh food. Ebenezer Stone Ministries will spend $25,000 on new refrigeration equipment to store meat and dairy products. Friedens Food Pantries, which received $20,000, also plans to purchase new refrigeration equipment.
With community outreach in mind, Food for Health will be investing $20,000 to install healthy SmartSnacks vending machines in various locations around the city, while Hundred Acres, an urban hydroponic farm that aims to alleviate food insecurity, received $20,000 to purchase a delivery van.
Riverworks Development Corporation will use the $5,000 grant to purchase and install signage along the Beerline Trail, with additional funds going toward equipment for the Riverwest Farmers Market.
The Gathering of SE Wisconsin, a nonprofit hunger relief organization, will use the $5,000 grant to purchase a new freezer.
Urban Development Director Lafayette Crump touted the grants and said he looks forward to the program’s continued impact.
“I want to thank our community partners for providing fresh, nutritious food to Milwaukee’s families and children, especially those in disadvantaged communities,” he said in a statement. “I’m pleased to have the opportunity to play a part in making Milwaukee’s neighborhoods healthier and stronger through the Fresh Food Access Fund.”
Additional information about the FFAF program is available online.
