Кооператив Free Range Food получил грант на закупку холодильного оборудования для нового магазина в Гранд-Рапидс

GRAND RAPIDS—Free Range Food Co-op has received a $55,440 grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to help purchase refrigeration equipment for its planned grocery store in Grand Rapids. The funding was awarded through the department’s Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation Food Retail Improvement and Development Grant program, commonly known as FRIDG. According to the co-op, the competitive grant program is intended to improve access to affordable, nutritious food in underserved communities. The grant will help pay for refrigeration equipment needed to stock fresh produce, dairy products and other perishable foods in the new community-owned grocery store, which is currently under development. “Refrigeration isn’t glamorous, but it’s the backbone of a grocery store,” Free Range Food Co-op Board Chair Tom Connolly said in a news release. “This grant means we can outfit our store from day one with the equipment we need to keep fresh, healthy food on the shelves for our owners and our whole community.” According to the co-op, the refrigeration equipment will be installed as part of the store’s build-out as it continues work toward opening the new facility. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s FRIDG program provides funding to food retailers for equipment and other physical improvements that increase the availability of affordable, nutritious and culturally appropriate foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, in low- and moderate-income communities. Free Range Food Co-op is a community-owned grocery cooperative serving the Grand Rapids area. The organization is fiscally sponsored by the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation and is working to establish a locally owned grocery store in the community. More information about the co-op, including ownership opportunities, is available through the organization.