Maryland’s food deserts are getting a major investment in state grants to expand access to fresh foods.
Forty-four organizations across the state have received a total of $3.65 million from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) NourishMD Grant Program, Gov. Wes Moore announced Monday.
“Every Marylander should have access to healthy, nutritious and fresh food, no matter their zip code,” Moore said in a statement. “As our administration works to address food insecurity, the NourishMD grants work to address nutritional health gaps and ensure that every community has the necessary food to thrive.”
The program awards grants to help organizations develop, stabilize, and expand retail outlets that provide fresh food in Maryland food deserts, where access to nutritious food options is limited or totally nonexistent.
Initial program support comes from $2 million in state funds. For the first year, the Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program has expanded access in rural areas with $1.65 million in federal funds, which may be renewable for up to five years.
“No Marylander’s access to fresh and healthy food should depend on their ZIP code,” said Jake Day, DHCD’s secretary, in a statement. “The NourishMD awards are investments in the people and businesses of Maryland as the Moore-Miller Administration works to reduce food insecurity by providing a necessary boost to our community-based small businesses and nonprofits.”
Eligible food retailers can receive grants of between $25,000 and $150,000. That money can be used for capital-related needs such as certain facility upgrades, infrastructure and technology and equipment purchases, including cold storage.
Businesses must be located in an area with a Fresh Food Gap Score of 60 or higher as provided by the Maryland Community Business Compass.
NourishMD will award a total of $3.65 million to 44 organizations spanning 18 Maryland counties.
In the Baltimore area, the following organizations will receive NourishMD grants:
- Mayo Snackz Too – $150,000: The Cherry Hill food park will provide fresh groceries, refrigerated food, SNAP/EBT access, and startup inventory.
- Superfresh Supermarket (Pratt Street Meat and Produce Inc.) – $110,000: This full-service city grocery will expand its produce inventory, dedicated healthy food aisle, in-store displays, and nutrition education programming.
- Farm Alliance of Baltimore, Inc. – $106,250: The nonprofit will build a permanent 480-square-foot timber-frame farm stand at the Black Butterfly Teaching Farm in Curtis Bay. The farm stand will have refrigeration, SNAP/EBT access, and produce sourced from urban growers.
- Acres4Change – $100,000: The nonprofit will expand infrastructure at the Sankofa Micro-Farm Collective and Charm City Caps mushroom enterprise, including hoop houses, cold storage, and SNAP/EBT systems in Southwest Baltimore.
- Civic Works, Inc. – $76,000: The nonprofit will establish a Sari-Sari-style nonprofit food store in a restored historic firehouse in Coldstream Homestead Montebello, which will add refrigerated staples to an existing fresh produce program. A sari-sari store is a type of convenience store in the Phillipines, where communities can shop a variety of goods.
- Mini Market Latino LLC – $50,000: This Dundalk grocery, which serves Latino residents and broader communities, will upgrade its commercial refrigeration and expand healthy food inventory.
“Expanding access to fresh, healthy food goes hand in hand with creating new opportunities for Maryland farmers,” said Maryland agriculture secretary Kevin Atticks in a statement. “Through Maryland Market Money, we’re helping residents stretch their food dollars while ensuring local farmers and food businesses benefit from every purchase. NourishMD builds on that success by expanding the number of places where Marylanders can access nutritious, locally grown food, which helps strengthen communities, supports local agriculture and makes healthy choices more accessible for everyone.”
Officials said the expansion of fresh food access through the Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program will support the Moore-Miller Administration’s work to make health care more accessible and affordable in the state’s rural communities.
“Healthy communities begin with access to nutritious food, and tackling it requires a united approach,” said Maryland health secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani in a statement. “The Department of Health is proud to invest in NourishMD, ensuring that families across our rural communities have access to healthy food options. This collaborative effort strengthens local businesses while addressing underlying conditions that contribute to people’s overall health.”
