Improving Access to Healthy Food

Exciting news – since its launch, $77 million has been allocated for the HFFI. The final fiscal year 2012 budget approved $32 million for HFFI through Treasury and Health and Human Services.  The legislation provides $22 million from Treasury for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) to work on healthy food access in low-income communities, and an additional $10 million will be available through the Community Economic Development Program at Health and Human Services for CDCs doing this work.  USDA will also be able to use their resources to advance efforts to increase access to healthy food.   In 2011, no funds were appropriated in the budget for HFFI, but agencies were able to use existing authority and resources to provide $45 million for HFFI projects in 2011.

These exciting developments were made possible through years of policy work and advocacy from equity advocates nationwide, starting with community leaders who have pushed for decades for access to healthy food in low-income communities and communities of color, and also including The Reinvestment Fund, The Food Trust, and PolicyLink. Leaders in the White House and Congress clearly listened to the voices of residents, grocers, health experts, economists, and other community leaders forging a chorus in support of HFFI.

To sign up for updates and help keep the momentum for HFFI going,  CLICK HERE.

State and City HFFI Efforts

Efforts are underway in several states and cities to replicate the successful Pennsylvania FFFI program. Legislation has been passed and/or projects are underway in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Detroit, D.C., New York City, and New Orleans.

For information on California efforts, see the  California Healthy Food Financing Initiative and the California FreshWorks Fund.