Metropolis of St. Petersburg and St. Pete Free Clinic Open First FRESH Tempo Wholesome Neighborhood Retailer to Present Entry to Wholesome Meals Choices
October 25, 2023 – The Metropolis of St. Petersburg, in partnership with St. Pete Free Clinic (SPFC), has launched a brand new program referred to as the FRESH Tempo Wholesome Neighborhood Retailer Program to assist set the tempo for good well being all through town by offering wholesome meals choices to households residing in areas with restricted entry to nutritious meals.
After months of preparation, the primary FRESH Tempo Wholesome Neighborhood Retailer is prepared for operation at Rajax Meals Mart and Meat Mart, positioned at 2327 Dr. Martin L. King Jr. St. S. Mayor Kenneth T. Welch, Metropolis Council Vice-Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders, and representatives from SPFC visited Rajax Meals and Meat Mart to congratulate the shop supervisor, Muhamad “Mike” Jaber.
“The FRESH Tempo Wholesome Neighborhood Retailer Program is a shining instance of how we’re placing our ARPA {dollars} to work and addressing my administration’s Neighborhood Well being and Security Pillar for Progress,” mentioned Mayor Welch. “Via our partnership with St. Pete Free Clinic and Rajax Meals Mart and Meat Mart, FRESH Tempo will broaden grocery retailer choices in South St. Pete whereas enhancing entry to wholesome meals for households in want.”
Jennifer Yeagley, SPFC CEO shares, “SPFC has interviewed over 100 potential shops, investing vital time in listening to retailer homeowners to ascertain belief, transparency, and guarantee engagement of this initiative is deeply rooted in neighborhood. At SPFC we imagine entry to nutritious meals is a catalyst for well being fairness and we’re excited to associate with the Metropolis of St. Petersburg to certify Rajax as the primary FRESH Tempo Wholesome Neighborhood Retailer.”
The FRESH Tempo Wholesome Neighborhood Retailer Program is made attainable with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) by way of the Metropolis of St. Petersburg. As of Could 2021, $45 million in ARPA State and Native Fiscal Restoration Funds has been budgeted to proceed the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to assist drive an equitable restoration for residents most impacted by COVID-19. Of the $45 million, $1.179 million has been allotted for Meals Safety, which incorporates the FRESH Tempo Wholesome Neighborhood Retailer Program, in addition to different packages. Extra about ARPA funding may be discovered at www.stpete.org/ARPA.
As a part of the Metropolis’s dedication to systemically tackle the necessity for entry to wholesome meals for households all through St. Pete, the FRESH Tempo program is designed to incentivize neighborhood shops in low-income, low-access areas to broaden their wholesome meals choices at an reasonably priced price to their prospects.
The way it works:
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SPFC collaborates with native shops to ascertain infrastructure, advertising plans, and sustainable enterprise fashions for stocking nutritious meals, together with contemporary vegetables and fruit, low-fat proteins, complete grain objects, and low-fat dairy merchandise or dairy options.
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SPFC additionally assists in subsidizing meals prices for the shops as they ramp up this programming and helps enterprise homeowners navigate the method of accepting EBT and WIC if they don’t already achieve this.
The place the funding got here from:
The funding for this program is being channeled by way of the Metropolis of St. Petersburg from American Rescue Plan Act funding, which consists of federal stimulus funds allotted to proceed the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to assist drive an equitable restoration for residents most impacted by the pandemic.
The FRESH Tempo Wholesome Neighborhood Retailer Program was created to broaden entry to wholesome meals citywide. The Metropolis of St. Petersburg, Wholesome St. Pete division and St. Pete Free Clinic will work collectively to serve low-income, low-access areas that comprise comfort shops that will not have reasonably priced, nutritious meals choices available.
Extra FRESH Tempo Wholesome Neighborhood Shops shall be coming quickly to serve different communities in St. Pete. Updates may be discovered at www.stpete.org/ARPA.
