SitemapThe U.S. Department of Agriculture has
awarded $498,880 in funding to the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. to
encourage Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants in the city to
purchase healthy foods.
“I was proud the Youngstown Neighborhood
Development Corp. was awarded this important funding to help bring nutritious
and healthy food to Youngstown families in need. SNAP is a program that works,
and is deserving of more support,” said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th.
“This funding will provide incentives for people to buy fresh fruits and
vegetables and help provide farmers with a local market to sell their products.
Healthy foods should be available to every one of our children, and I promise
to continue to use my position to fight to ensure that we are not leaving
anyone behind.”
The money was awarded as a part of a
larger $16.8 million investment by the USDA to be distributed through 32 grants
to help SNAP participants increase their purchases of fruits and vegetables.
The funding comes through the Food
Insecurity Nutrition Incentive program, which was authorized by the 2014 Farm
Bill that U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Cleveland, D-Ohio, helped negotiate.
“This project, entitled Eating for
Health in the Mahoning Valley, will increase food access in the Mahoning Valley
by broadening funding to help SNAP/EBT customers purchase fresh produce at six
farmers markets and local food outlets and will also expand the Mercy Health
Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program,” said Liberty Avila, YNDC land reuse
director. “The four-year project is being significantly supported by Mercy
Health Foundation and includes [more than] 15 project partners working together
to support families while increasing revenues to local farmers.” To read the full story from The Vindicator, click here.