AlabamaGroceryJan2017Final

PRESIDENT’ S MESSAGE

t h e a s s o c i at i on wo rk i ng f o r yo u

ELLE SMOTHERMAN TAYLOR PRESIDENT ALABAMA GROCERS ASSOCIATION

There are many projects the Association works on during the year. In some cases, it takes several years for a project to come to Fruition.

by Senator Greg Reed. This bill passed in the 2015 Legislative Session and will provide financing for food retailers in low to moderate income areas of urban and rural Alabama. It also provides as a vehicle for private and public funding as well as the ability to receive federal grant funding and is housed under ADECA, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. Projects eligible for financing include construction of new grocery stores as well as store renovations, expansion and infrastructure upgrades that improve the ability and quality of fresh produce and other healthy foods. Financing can be used for site acquisition and preparation, construction and build- out costs, equipment and furnishings, workforce training and security, pre- development costs such as market studies and appraisals, energy efficiency measures and working capital for first-time inventory and start-up costs. So now that SB260 passed in 2015, where do we go from here? We need to get it funded. In 2016, we passed resolution SJR105, to create the Healthy Food Financing Study Commission.

One such issue has been food deserts or underserved areas throughout the state of Alabama. Not only is this an issue in our state, but this is an issue nationwide that much research and effort has been dedicated

to help the citizens of our country, particularly those that are the most vulnerable. In November 2014, our Association in conjunction with Voices for Alabama’s Children and the Joseph S. Bruno Foundation, held a Food Summit to discuss the possibility of Healthy Food

Financing in Alabama and how we could use a variety of tools to bring this to our state. Over 40 representatives from the grocery industry, government and non-profit sector were in attendance. Through research and working with The Food Trust a report was created showing over 1.8 million Alabama residents, including nearly half a million children live in lower-income communities underserved by grocery stores. All this pre-work served as the catalyst to SB260, the Healthy Food Financing Act, sponsored

AGA President Elle Smotherman Taylor addresses Food Summit on the possibility of Healthy Food Financing in Alabama.

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