Fudge and Evans Intro Healthy Food Financing Initiative

On Tuesday, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH) and Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA) introduced legislation to reauthorize the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, which earmarks $125 million to provide loans, grants, and financing opportunities for food retailers, farmers markets, cooperatives, and others who face barriers to carrying and selling fresh fruits and vegetables. “Over 2 million Ohioans, including more than half a million children live in neighborhoods with too few supermarkets and places to purchase healthy, affordable food.  This lack of access to healthy and nutritious food undermines the health and wellbeing of our communities,” said Fudge. “The Healthy Food Financing Initiative provides a proven way to ensure our children grow up with the resources they need to live healthy lives.” Evans weighed in, saying, “In my career as a public servant there are very few legislative achievements that I’m prouder of than the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, which started in my home state of Pennsylvania as a $30 million dollar appropriation and leveraged with $145 million in additional investment to provide loans and grants.  The program gained status as a proven and economically sustainable federal program that is helping improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods; by allowing millions access to healthy, affordable food by successfully funding over 88 public-private partnerships in our Commonwealth to serve over 400,000 families.” More here.