Madison Using Grant To Make Healthy Food More Accessible

Madison’s Healthy Retail Access Program aims to combat “food deserts” — low-income areas that have minimal access to healthy food

By Teymour Tomsyck
The UW Badger Herald

Amid the city’s ongoing battle with inequity, Mayor Paul Soglin announced a $100,000 grant in early August to increase access to nutritious food.

Madison’s Healthy Retail Access Program aims to combat “food deserts” — low-income areas that have minimal access to healthy food. The city is currently seeking applications from retailers and transit organizations for the first-of-its-kind program.

The city has created a food access improvement map to designate focus areas where help is most needed.

Mark Woulf, director of Madison’s Food and Alcohol Policy, said the program hopes to make improvements to the accessibility of existing retailers and perhaps open new ones in the future.

Woulf said the grant will also help the city understand individual focus area’s specific needs.

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