State Offers More Than $26 Million in Grocery Grants

State officials say more than 26-million dollars in taxpayer funding is now available through the Illinois Grocery Initiative. The program is designed to improve food access in communities where grocery options are limited or have disappeared. More than 21-million dollars will support grants for new grocery stores and equipment upgrades at existing locations. Another 4-point-5 million dollars is set aside for the grocery rescue program, aimed at helping reopen stores that closed within the past year. Officials say the investment is meant to strengthen local food systems, support communities, and bring fresh grocery access back to underserved areas.