Recommendation CC.56

Recommendation Status: Expand

Allocate Community Development grants and low-interest loans to encourage community-driven initiatives, such as community gardens, community supported agriculture (CSA), urban farms, local corner stores, convenience stores, small markets or cooperative grocery stores for local residents to take an active role in addressing food access issues.

This recommendation helps achieve the following

Complete Communities icon
Inclusive Economies icon

Complete Communities

Leading the Region

Inclusive
Economies

Key Issues Addressed

Not Population Stagnation
Not Greater Housing Diversity & Affordability
Social & Environmental Resilience
Not Infrastructure Cost-burden
Not Jobs-Skills Mismatch

Related Planning Topic Areas

Economic Development
Housing
Land Use & Development
Not Open Space & Environment
Not Transportation & Infrastructure

Applicable Geographic Scales

Countywide

Countywide

Municipalities

Not Municipalities

Sub-geographies

Not Sub-geographies

Equity Considerations

Leads to better public health outcomes, reduces food insecurity, and increases awareness of healthy eating.

Equity considerations icon

Sustainability Considerations

Increases access to locally sourced, fresh produce, reducing reliance on processed foods, and promoting healthier eating habits, all of which contribute to a more sustainable food system and healthy residents.

Sustainability considerations icon

Implementation

Lead Partner(s)

  • St. Louis County Department of Human Services - Office of Community Development

  • Operation Food Search

  • BJC

  • St. Louis Area Food Bank

  • Community Action Agency of Saint Louis County

Lead Partner(s) icon

Supporting Partner(s)

  • EarthDance CSA

  • Fair Shares CCSA

  • Seeds of Hope Farm

  • Soil Shares CSA

  • Three Rivers Community Farm

  • Vesterbrook Farm

  • Fresh Pasture Farms

  • Farmers Markets

  • The Fit & Food Connection

  • Neighborhood and Community Organizations

  • St. Louis County Department of Public Health

  • Community Action Agency of Saint Louis County

  • MO Department of Health and Senior Services

Supporting Partner(s) icon

Cost

Project, Partnership, or Policy

Project

Partnership

Policy

Medium
($1-5 mil)

Low
(Less than $1 mil)

High
($10+ mil)

Project
Not Partnership

Timeline

Medium-term
(5-10 Years)

Ongoing

Near-term
(Within 5 Years)

Long-term
(10+ Years)

Potential Funding Sources

  •  St. Louis County CDBG

  • General operating revenue

Tracking Implementation

Tracking Success

  • Number of families and individuals served.

Implementation tracker icon.

If overperforming, what should we do?

Keep going and publish the success.

If underperforming, what should we do?

Increase the participation and role of existing grocery store owners in supporting the program.

Previous

CC.55/Expand the St. Louis MetroMarket, the Food Pantry and the Food as Medicine programs sup/PS/SER
Next

CC.57/Invest in improved public transportation options to enhance residents' access to grocery s/SER