Feeding Illinois Announces Recipients of Farm to Food Bank Capacity-Building Grant
Investments will strengthen Illinois agriculture, reduce food waste, and expand access to fresh, local food for families across the state.
Feeding Illinois is proud to announce the recipients of the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Capacity Building Grant, a statewide initiative designed to expand the capabilities of Illinois agricultural entities and increase access to local foods by the State's emergency food system.
This inaugural round of funding represents a significant investment in the future of Illinois’ food system, supporting projects that will increase the ability to grow, aggregate, store, process, and distribute Illinois-grown food to communities in need.
The Capacity-Building Grants are part of the Illinois Farm to Food Bank (IL-F2FB) Program — a statewide initiative that supports partnerships between farmers, food banks, and community organizations to increase access to fresh, locally grown food. Rather than funding food purchases, the grants focus on practical investments that improve the systems behind food distribution, helping ensure Illinois-grown food can move efficiently, safely, and consistently through the emergency food network so more nutritious food reaches communities, especially underserved areas, while reducing food waste.
“We are incredibly inspired by the organizations and farmers who applied for this grant,” said Steve Ericson, Executive Director of Feeding Illinois. “These recipients are helping build a stronger, more connected food system, one that supports local agriculture while ensuring more Illinois-grown food reaches families who need it most.”
Feeding Illinois is proud to recognize the following recipients of the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Capacity-Building Grant:
Arrow Farm Meats, LLC; Barker Farm Outreach Inc; DeGroot's Vegetable Farms; DuChick Ranch, LLC; Eastern Illinois Foodbank; Flamm Orchards Inc.; Freeport Student Garden; Gooseberry Acres; Just Roots; Klein's Quality Produce; Lucy Jill Rendleman - All Seasons Farm; Mulberry Creek Meats, LLC; Omnist High Meadows Sanctuary Co.; Prairie Ag Concepts Inc; Rendleman Orchards; Rustic Road Farm, LLC; Sam the Sweet Corn Man, LLC; Sola Gratia Farm; The Ark; and WonderPork, LLC.
Together, these awards represent over $1 million in capacity-building investments across Illinois, strengthening the infrastructure needed to move more local food to communities in need.
The Illinois Farm to Food Bank Capacity-Building Grant, supported by funding from the State of Illinois through the Illinois Department of Human Services, was created to address a critical gap in the food system: the infrastructure needed to move food from farms to food banks efficiently and sustainably.
Awarded projects span a range of capacity-building efforts, including investments in cold storage, transportation, processing equipment, and distribution systems. These improvements will allow more fresh produce, dairy, and protein grown in Illinois to reach food banks and pantries across the state.
Across Illinois, 1 in 8 residents experiences food insecurity, while at the same time, valuable food grown in our state can go unused due to gaps in infrastructure. This program works to close that gap by creating a stronger, more resilient food system that benefits both producers and communities.
“This is about more than moving food,” Ericson added. “It’s about building a system where Illinois-grown food stays in Illinois. It’s about feeding our neighbors and supporting the people who grow it.”
Feeding Illinois extends its sincere congratulations to all grant recipients and gratitude to the many applicants whose dedication to strengthening food access across the state was evident throughout this process.
As these projects move forward, the impact will be felt across communities, helping ensure that more families can access fresh, healthy food while supporting the future of Illinois agriculture.
To learn more about the grant recipients and the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program, visit feedingillinois.org/capacitygrant or follow Feeding Illinois on social media.