The Invest Atlanta Board of Directors approved $2.6 million to fund projects that increase the availability of healthy, affordable food and help combat food insecurity.
This investment will improve access to fresh food and reduce food insecurity in a community where more than 11,000 residents live with limited access to food. These projects will generate more than $53.8 million in economic impact for the city while creating or retaining 226 jobs in low-income neighborhoods.
“Our administration is committed to ensuring all Atlantans have access to fresh, affordable food in their communities,” said Mayor Andre Dickens and Invest Atlanta Board Chair. “Ensuring access to fresh food is more than just a nutrition issue; it is a fundamental commitment to the health and well-being of our communities.”
Mayor Andre Dickens is working closely with Invest Atlanta to create access to fresh food for people affected by food insecurity, especially Atlanta’s senior citizens, including the creation of the Atlanta Food Access Advancement Grant (AFACG). We are working to increase it. Funding for three of the projects will be provided by the AFACG program.
Projects receiving AFAC grants include: Goodr Be On Edgewood: Goodr is a national leader in innovative approaches to improving food security by connecting food insecure communities with surplus food that is completely safe to consume. With the help of a $330,000 Atlanta Food Access Catalyst grant, Goodr will open a grocery store in Be on Edgewood serving Atlanta’s elderly and unhoused communities. City of Refuge: City of Refuge is a faith-based nonprofit organization based in Vine City that has been serving Atlanta residents for nearly 30 years. By providing housing, job training, and education, City of Refuge has established itself as a national leader in community development and economic mobility. The City of Refuge Transformation Center, located at 1343 Joseph E. Boone Blvd., is a new facility that includes an entrepreneurship hub, a credit union, and a healthy neighborhood market. City of Refuge received a $200,000 Atlanta Food Access Promotion Grant to fund the development of a neighborhood market. Atlanta Community Food Bank MLK: Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB). ACFB will renovate existing commercial facilities along the Martin Luther King Drive corridor and open a community food center (CFC). ACFB has a long history of serving families throughout the city and was awarded a $250,000 Atlanta Food Access Accelerator grant and a $250,000 Tax Allocation District (TAD) grant. These grants will help repurpose vacant retail space on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to create the City of Atlanta’s first community food center. Community food centers operated by the Atlanta Community Food Bank serve as an innovative approach to improving food security.
“Recent statistics show that approximately 14 percent of Atlanta’s population is food insecure, and minorities suffer from hunger more than other households,” said Invest Atlanta President and CEO. said Dr. Eloisa Klementić. “Addressing food insecurity is not just a challenge; collective action is essential to ensure all individuals get the nutrition they need to thrive.”
Courtesy of Sweet Auburn Municipal Market Additional projects approved for funding include: 500 James P. Brawley Drive: The proposed project is the redevelopment of a prominent neighborhood space commonly known as the “Yellow Store.” We are aiming for The renovation will preserve some of the details of the 100-year-old building and maintain its original purpose, with neighborhood retail on the ground floor and housing on the second floor. The vacant building, known locally as the Yellow Store, will be a mixed-use development with neighborhood retail on the ground floor and residences on the second floor. Westside TAD’s $750,000 grant-funded improvements include the addition of an outdoor canopy at the rear of the building intended to provide seating for local food service tenants. Sweet Auburn Municipal Market: Opened in 1924 in its current building on Auburn Avenue, the Municipal Market currently houses 30 local businesses, including grocery stores, retail stores, and several popular eateries . Through a $775,000 Eastside TAD grant and funding from the City of Atlanta, the Municipal Market will rebuild vendor booths and fund a new vendor success program managed by Invest Atlanta.
For more information on these projects and other items approved by the Board, please visit Invest Atlanta’s BoardDocs website.
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