The New York state Department of Agriculture and Markets and Office of Temporary and Disability Services (OTDA), unveiled a $1.1 million funding injection for two vital Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention (SNAP-Ed) grant schemes.

The grants, geared toward bolstering access to fresh, affordable foods in marginalized communities across New York state, is designed to reinforce the state’s commitment to combating food insecurity and supporting its agricultural industry.

The recent allocation follows a previous disbursement of nearly $1.1 million to 32 organizations in 2022, underlining the ongoing efforts to address food-related challenges.

Scott Kellogg, the educational director at the Radix Ecological Sustainability Center, expressed his enthusiasm for the grant’s impact on their community-driven initiatives.

“We come at it from the angle of food sovereignty, where we try and hold space and make it accessible and available to local residents so they can make choices about what kind of food they are going to grow,” Kellogg explains.

Radix, one of the recipients of the funding, plans to utilize the resources to educate and empower individuals, particularly youth, in sustainable agriculture practices, thereby fostering healthier eating habits and enhancing food security in underserved areas.

Through partnerships like these, the grant programs aim to cultivate a more resilient and equitable food system across the state.