CHICAGO — State Senator Willie Preston announced that new funding is available through the Illinois Grocery Initiative’s New Stores in Food Deserts, Equipment Upgrades, and Grocery Rescue grant programs – representing a $26 million investment in limiting food deserts and keeping grocery stores open in communities across the state.
“The Illinois Grocery Initiative is a crucial program for helping our communities invest in improving residents’ lives,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “Increasing access to fresh, healthy food saves residents time and money.”
The new Grocery Rescue Program works to reopen stores that have closed within the last year. The program’s mission is to prevent low-access communities from losing long-term food access and avoid new food deserts forming. Funding can be used for acquiring or repairing a store, refurbishing property or equipment, and some first-year operating costs.
The New Stores in Food Deserts Program aims to bring new grocery stores to food deserts. This funding round includes a pharmacy component to help address some communities’ lack of access to prescription medications, flu shots, and more. The grants will fund new stores’ construction, renovation, and operations for their first two years, including wages, utility costs, and initial food inventory.
The Equipment Upgrades Program provides funding for existing grocery stores to upgrade to energy-efficient equipment, prioritizing stores in food-insecure communities. This program is designed to improve existing grocery stores and maintain residents’ fresh food access, preventing new food deserts from being created.
The Illinois Grocery Initiative has distributed $19 million in funding since 2024, including about $17 million to construct eight new grocery stores across the state and $2 million to assist 14 stores with equipment upgrades. The latest round of funding will further develop this progress while helping to reopen recently closed grocery stores.
Applications for the New Stores in Food Deserts Program will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Dec. 9, while applications for the Grocery Rescue Program and Equipment Upgrades Program will be accepted on a rolling basis.
