Savannah's Corner Store Program Awarded $10K City Grant

SAVANNAH, Ga. - March 25, 2022 - PRLog -- (SAVANNAH, GA) Six local stores are now participating in the Corner Store Initiative (http://healthysavannah.org/healthy-corner-store-initiative) to make healthy food choices the easy choice in small retail stores that are often the only source of food in some of Savannah's low-wealth neighborhoods. The program experienced challenges during the COVID pandemic, but is now beginning to thrive and new incentives are being introduced to entice more retailers and their customers to get on board.

Healthy Savannah (https://healthysavannah.org/) has also been awarded a $10,000 grant from the City of Savannah's Community Partnership Program (https://www.savannahga.gov/3017/2022-Community-Partners) to support the current efforts with the initiative.

Healthy Savannah further supports the Corner Store Initiative with the YMCA of the Coastal Georgia (https://ymcaofcoastalga.org/) as joint administrators of the $3.4 million Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant. REACH aims to help close the gap in health disparities among African Americans in Savannah and Chatham County.

The Initiative got underway in 2019 but during 2020, its first four participating stores dwindled to two as the retailers were hit hard by the pandemic. Those stores have since reopened and are back on board, and two additional stores have recently enrolled.

There is no cost to join the program and participating stores can accept the Supplemental Nutrition Incentive Program (SNAP) benefits for produce. Grim is also in the process of piloting a program that will help both the stores and the community. Through this effort, customers can double their SNAP benefits for produce, essentially being able to buy twice as much for their spend, while store owners are paid in full for the fresh fruits and vegetable products they sell.

Through the Corner Store Initiative, participating retailers also receive technical assistance which includes help in applying to accept benefits from SNAP and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program. They also receive marketing and promotional support and access to Healthy Savannah's and the YMCA's vast network of partners. Stores are also encouraged to work within that same partnership network to host community events and gain exposure for their outlets while becoming more recognized as socially responsible community partners. Healthy Savannah and "Y" team members additionally provide free literature and materials to the stores and assist with signage.

Stores are considered the best candidates for the Corner Store Initiative if they are not located close to farmers' markets or grocery stores and are in areas heavily populated with fast-food restaurants and unhealthy food outlets. Those neighborhoods also usually have low walkability scores and are populated with residents who may not have access to a vehicle to get to a grocery store.

For more information on the Corner Store Initiative please visit healthysavannah.org/healthy-corner-store-initiative. (http://healthysavannah.org/healthy-corner-store-initiative)