Surry County will receive $50,000 in state funding to construct a new grocery store. The project is one of 15 in Virginia that Governor Ralph Northam recently announced in order to address food insecurity in underserved communities.
The governor announced on July 28 that the commonwealth will provide more than $620,000 in the inaugural round of Virginia Food Access Investment Fund (VFAIF) grants.
VFAIF will give between $5,000 and $50,000 to support business development, construction, upgrades, or expansions of grocery stores, small food retailers, or innovative food retail projects in order to increase food access to underserve communities.
The $50,000 grant that Surry will receive will go toward the development of Surry Marketplace, a new grocery store. Surry County residents currently do not have easy access to a supermarket, so some travel by ferry to Williamsburg for their needs. The project will include online ordering and delivery service, workforce development, and increased access to fresh food.
“Hunger and food insecurity are a reality for too many Virginia families, and the pandemic has only underscored the urgency of this crisis,” said Governor Northam. “At its core, the Virginia Food Access Investment Fund is about addressing the root causes of low food access and increasing equity and justice in our local food systems. I am pleased to see the innovation and dedication of businesses and organizations who are helping to advance our shared goals of building strong, resilient food supply chains in historically marginalized communities and making fresh, nutritious food available to Virginians in every corner of our commonwealth.”