(Photo of the Food Trust Logo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Food Trust)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Philadelphia, PA) According to a release from the Food Trust, The Food Trust, in partnership with Pennsylvania-based Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, recently awarded $800,000 in funding to 13 recipients of the 2024-2025 round of the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative (PA FFFI) grant program. This program is for public-private financing statewide to support the expansion or establishment of retail sites for fresh food by providing grants that are one-time to businesses selling affordable and healthy food in moderate- and low-income communities in rural, urban and suburban areas across Pennsylvania. One of the thirteen grantees is from Beaver County, and it is DAT Place Convenience Store in Aliquippa. According to that same release from Food Trust, here are the thirteen grantees, more information about them, and why they received this funding from Food Trust:
Almadina Supermarket (Erie): An international grocery store on the East side of Erie where the nearest supermarket is over one mile away, awarded funds to purchase equipment that will allow the store to increase availability of fresh produce and other affordable, culturally appropriate food offerings in response to Erie’s growing immigrant community.
o The Best Route (Pottstown): A mobile market awarded funds to renovate a wash/prep and storage facility, update its van with a branded wrap, and conduct a marketing campaign. The market is entering its second season and makes stops at community centers, housing developments and other existing hubs to increase the accessibility of its products.
o Bravo Supermarket (Easton): A new supermarket on the south side of Easton, awarded funds to purchase an 86-foot reach-in retail refrigerator and freezer for produce, dairy, eggs and meat. Bravo Supermarket is one of the first local investments on the south side in many years, and its opening will encourage further economic development of the area.
o DAT Place Convenience Store (Aliquippa): A corner store expanding into a 4,000-square-foot building to dramatically increase the availability of fresh and affordable foods to this neighborhood in Aliquippa, an area where most residents buy their groceries at the local dollar store. Awarded funds will be used to furnish the new space with retail equipment.
o Dylamato’s Market (Pittsburgh): A market awarded funds for renovation and equipment to double its healthy food retail space, expand its commercial kitchen, and update its facade to increase the business’ visibility to the community and become ADA compliant. Dylamato’s has been serving the Pittsburgh community for eight years and is the only non-convenience store retailer in its neighborhood. The nearest supermarket is two miles away.
o Ewe View Farm (Needmore): A vegetable farm with a mobile market making 11 stops in rural Bedford, Franklin and Fulton Counties. Awarded funds will be used to construct a cold storage shed and wash/pack station, purchase a freezer and conduct marketing. These improvements will allow the business to aggregate local meat, bread, mushrooms and coffee from nearby businesses to complement the produce, eggs and honey already being sold. Marketing will help this business increase its visibility to the wider community.
o The Farm Store (Pottsville): A new farm-to-market grocery store that supports Schuylkill County farmers and makers was awarded funds to purchase retail equipment for the brick-and-mortar location and a refrigerated truck for its home delivery service. The opening of The Farm Store is an important development for downtown Pottsville, as it has not seen a grocery store in this area for six years.
o Farmer Girl Eb (Pittsburgh): An urban farm-to-market awarded funds for a walk-in refrigerator and a delivery van. These purchases complement the business’s relocation to a new site, which will provide long-term stability for the market. In the short term, funds will enable Farmer Girl Eb to activate the new location with a pop-up farmers market, as well as stock the new store as soon as their building is connected to utilities. The delivery van will allow the business to formalize its delivery service to seniors, as well as more efficiently transport produce from Farmer Girl Eb’s farm to the store.
o Grow Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh): A nonprofit focused on urban agriculture and education that operates five farm stands in and around Wilkinsburg. The organization was awarded funds to use toward the construction of its Garden Dreams Community Agriculture Hub. The entire project involves renovating and connecting two existing buildings adjacent to conserved growing space to create a classroom and community kitchen, and to expand the existing wash/pack space and cold storage capacity.
o Larkin’s Market (Erie): A corner store in a residential neighborhood of Erie, opened September 2024. Larkin’s sells healthy grocery items and is one of the only WIC vendors in the area. Awarded funds will be used to purchase additional equipment for merchandising fresh produce and other healthy grocery items in the retail space, closing the distance between community residents and access to affordable foods.
o Palace Life Supermarket (Erie): An African food and clothing store that opened September 2024. The store was awarded funds to purchase equipment such as a walk-in cooler, a deep freezer and a produce merchandiser to expand the selection of fresh meat and produce. Palace Life serves the growing African community in the neighborhood, providing essential products that reflect the community’s traditions and dietary needs.
o Trawka’s Mom & Pop Grocery (Erie): A neighborhood meat and grocery market that will be using funds to purchase new produce, meat and dairy coolers, ensuring long-term access to these products. The store has been in operation for over 80 years and is a critical source of groceries in its community.
o United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern PA (Scranton and Carbondale): Two farmers markets awarded funds to purchase refrigeration for their indoor facilities and to conduct a bilingual, SNAP user-focused marketing campaign. The addition of cold storage will enable more farms from rural parts Lackawanna, Wayne, Wyoming, Luzerne and Susquehanna counties to participate in the farmers markets as vendors will be able to drop products off outside market hours.
