ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York State Legislature has introduced a bill to provide financial incentives for bringing grocery stores into underserved urban and rural communities.
The FRESH Communities Act, introduced in the assembly and senate, would provide $10 million in loans, subsidies, and grants to help organizations retain or add grocery stores in underserved areas. Businesses, municipalities, nonprofits, and local development corporations would be eligible.
Sponsors are calling for the bill to be included in the state budget, saying it can help to address food deserts and boost New York’s agricultural economy. Stores would need to accept SNAP and hire employees who live within a 20-mile radius to get the funding.
As News10NBC has covered, multiple neighborhoods in Rochester are considered “food deserts”, meaning there’s a lack of nearby businesses selling healthy and affordable food. That can lead to malnutrition for many residents.
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