Prairie State Wire

Governor JB Pritzker has announced the allocation of $28.8 million in grants to provide free locally produced food to underserved communities in Illinois. The initiative, a collaboration between the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), is part of the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA). This program enables the state to buy food from socially disadvantaged farmers at fair market value for distribution by various providers such as food banks and non-profits.

"Food access is fundamental to healthy and prosperous communities," stated Governor Pritzker. He emphasized that this funding supports both farmers and food-insecure residents across Illinois. Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton added, "Communities cannot thrive when our neighbors are hungry... The Illinois Eats Program allows us to both address food insecurity and uplift the hard work of our agriculture professionals."

The program aims to source all products from historically underserved farmers and ranchers. Jerry Costello, IDOA Director, noted that this grant helps create new markets for these growers while strengthening Illinois' food supply chain.

In total, 20 grants were awarded to 15 providers throughout different regions in Illinois. These include organizations like Northern Illinois Food Bank, Black Oaks Center for Sustainable Renewable Living, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Midwest Food Bank, and others.

Dulce M. Quintero, IDHS Secretary Designate, remarked on the importance of ensuring families have access to nutritious local foods without financial strain. The University of Illinois Extension played a role in developing the Notice of Funding Opportunity for IL-EATS by holding over 30 listening sessions to identify challenges and needs.

The initiative addresses gaps such as formal distribution sites with capacity issues by issuing grant dollars to lead agencies acting as community partners. Jeff Kaufman, Mayor of Morton, expressed pride in supporting local farmers through this program.

State Senator Dave Koehler commented on how investments like these develop local food systems and support producers statewide. Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth highlighted the significance of eliminating food deserts and increasing access to nutritious meals.

Interested producers and non-profits can find more information about participating in the program online at https://extension.illinois.edu/food/illinois-equitable-access-towards-sustainable-systems-il-eats-funded-lfpa.