State of Illinois grants $2.4 M for new grocery store in Venice, Ill.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - The state of Illinois is giving $2.4 million to the city of Venice to build a new grocery store.
Over the past few years, food deserts have become a bigger problem in the metro. Some residents having to drive miles to find proper grocery stores.
In the Metro East, Madison County residents face a major case. According to Feeding America, of the more than 33,000 residents in the county, more than 12% live in a food desert. Nearly half of the residents don’t qualify for snap benefits.
Governor J.B. Pritzker says it comes at a critical time, as his Republican counterparts look to strip food access from the most vulnerable. To make sure everyone is covered, the new grocery store in Venice must accept WIC and Snap. It also must have a diverse variety of fresh produce.
There is no timeline set on when the grocery store will be built.
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