Local Farms and Food Businesses Receive Nearly $500,000 in Grants to Help Make Metro Chicago Food System More Equitable
For the fourth year in a row, Metro Chicago Good Food Purchasing Initiative (GFP) Community Fund continues to uplift local food production in metro Chicago.
The Chicago Food Policy Action Council (CFPAC), in partnership with Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) and Builders Vision Philanthropyom/ is awarding over $460,000, along with tailored technical assistance, to 15 local farms and food businesses working toward creating a “good” food system in metro Chicago that is accessible, equitable, racially just, healthy, fair, local, humane, and sustainable.
Awardees were selected from a highly competitive pool of farmers and food entrepreneurs based within 250 miles of Chicago and represent the collaboration, dedication, and mission-alignment that strengthens our regional food system. The GFPI Community Fund specifically aims to invest in those who have historically faced structural barriers to funding and institutional market access.
Laura O’Carroll, director of the Good Food Purchasing Initiative at CFPAC, said, “We are honored and overjoyed to support this incredible cohort of food producers who are helping to shape a more equitable, resilient, and community-rooted food system for metro Chicago.CFPAC envisions a food system where public institutions help build collective power among those historically excluded from control over food production and access.”
Grant awards span from $40,000 to $80,000, supporting projects that align with the GFPP-values of sustainable practices, fair labor standards, humane animal treatment, and community-centered food access. Awardees are also dedicated to collaborating with other aligned local food producers as well as to supplying local institutions and community meal sites.
Eight of the 15 awardees selected this year are based in suburban Cook County, highlighting the region's leadership in building a more equitable, resilient, and locally rooted food system. In 2026, CCDPH invested more than $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding through the GFPI Community Fund to support these organizations, bringing its total contribution to $1.5 million since 2023. This investment, alongside support from Builders Vision Philanthropy, is helping expand access to healthy food, strengthen local food economies, and advance health equity throughout the region.
“Investing in local food systems is an investment in community health, economic prosperity, and equity,” said Dr. Kiran Joshi, chief operating officer at Cook County Department of Public Health. “Public institutions have a critical role to play in directing resources toward local growers, food businesses, and workforce development efforts that strengthen our communities. By aligning public purchasing and investments with community values, we can improve health outcomes, create economic opportunities, support quality jobs, and build a more resilient food system for future generations. Cook County is proud to help lead this work and demonstrate the power of local action.”
The GFPI Community Fund is built on three essential components that work in concert to provide holistic, wrap-around support for awardees. In addition to the financial award, recipients receive individualized technical assistance tailored to support both their proposed project and their overall operations. The third pillar – networking – offers awardees the opportunity to participate in working groups, collaborate with fellow food producers, and engage in peer-to-peer support, creating a community of mutual uplift that extends beyond the Fund's direct investment.
"The GFPI Community Fund is designed to do more than simply move dollars—it is about building a more equitable, resilient, and interconnected local food system across Metro Chicago," said Kaitlyn Poindexter, GFPI Community Fund program manager at CFPAC. "We have strategically designed this grant to fill critical gaps, directing flexible funding to the food producers who need it most and supporting sectors of agriculture that have historically been underfunded and overlooked by traditional funders."
The Metro Chicago GFPI Community Fund builds on Cook County’s 2018 resolution in support of the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP), a nationally recognized, metric-based procurement framework designed to create a more just and sustainable food system. In partnership with CFPAC, CCDPH is charged with implementing GFPP across Cook County institutions, including Cook County Health, Cook County Jail, and the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.
“Building a food system that works for everyone requires bold leadership, cross-sector collaboration, and a commitment to equity,” said Amy O’Rourke, director of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control at Cook County Department of Public Health. “Through initiatives like the Good Food Purchasing Program, Cook County and our partners are demonstrating how public institutions can improve health outcomes, strengthen local economies, support quality jobs, and create lasting community impact”.
This fund was first started with the goal of increasing the availability of food aligned with the GFPP and to support partnerships with public and private institutions such as schools, health care systems, senior living centers, food pantries, and other community meal sites. The grants support a wide range of projects, from business expansion, to supporting fair labor and equitable pay, to launching food hubs and more. Together, these efforts move the Community Fund beyond a transactional model toward one rooted in long-term relationships, collaboration, and community building across the metro Chicago food system.
The GFPI Team works to bring this vision to life by supporting both institutions purchasing food as well as food producers to conduct their work in ways that are accessible, equitable, racially just, healthy, fair, local, humane, and sustainable.
Chicago Food Policy Action Council is a nonprofit organization that co-develops, facilitates, advocates for and supports implementation of policies that advance food justice and food sovereignty in Chicago and across the region. It aims to dismantle systemic racism in the food system.
Cook County Department of Public Health is the nationally accredited, state-certified local health department serving suburban Cook County. They build healthier, more equitable communities by protecting health, preventing disease, engaging communities, and analyzing and sharing data for action.
To learn more about the Cook County Good Food Purchasing Program you can visit Cook
2026 GFPI Community Fund Awardees
-
Fresher Together is a Black LGBTQ-led collaborative food and farming project rooted in healing, economic development, training, and retreat. Operating on their 114-acre farm in Sauk Village, Illinois– they are transitioning conventional corn and soy acreage into a diversified, regenerative organic staple food and produce hub.
Their 2026 GFPI Community Fund Project is titled “Sowing the Seeds of Sovereignty: Establishing a specialized equipment hub to plant, harvest, and precision-clean regenerative grains and staples for our people.” They plan to expand into field scale production of staple crops including heritage dry beans, grains, and corn for masa, while developing the equipment and post harvest capacity needed for distribution expansion to move these foods into institutions and community food channels and to become a regional hub and demo model for other local growers for growing and processing staple grains . The project centers regenerative production and addresses the equipment bottlenecks that make staple crop production difficult for smaller farms.
-
Mother Carr's Farm is a nonprofit, community-based farm established in 2012 by Vernon Park Church of God to address food insecurity and improve access to healthy, locally grown food in Chicago's south suburbs. Their mission is to cultivate healthy communities by growing sustainable, pesticide-free produce while creating opportunities for education, workforce development, and economic empowerment.
Their 2026 GFPI Community Fund Project Titled "From Field to Food System: Building a Community Food Safety & Post-Harvest Hub” is focused on infrastructure and production expansion as well as community outreach. They plan to build a post-harvest facility including a wash-pack station, shared cold storage, and basic construction with the goal of increasing capacity for institutional selling
-
Just Roots is a farm located in Sauk Village with the mission to support local Chicago communities in three primary ways: 1) Improving holistic health and well-being through the production, harvest, and consumption of healthy, culturally relevant food. 2) Developing a thriving community that learns and shares about healthy, regenerative food practices together. 3) Increasing collaboration and resource sharing among urban farmers working to support and uplift residents in local communities.
Their 2026 project is titled “Deepening and Expanding GFPP Practices To Cultivate A Resilient Local Food System In Southern Cook County” where they plan to expand community engagement with nearby farms and neighbors, improve food safety practices through GAP certification, expand their regenerative agriculture technical assistance as well as improve their own environmental practices through regenerative agriculture.
-
Cornerstone Community Development Corporation (Cornerstone CDC) is a minority-led, community-based nonprofit organization located in Ford Heights, IL, with a mission to improve the quality of life for the underprivileged and assist vulnerable populations during times of crisis by providing emergency, supportive services, and workforce development that help individuals achieve stability and self-sufficiency.
For nearly 60 years, Cornerstone CDC has served as a trusted community anchor, advancing wellness, economic mobility, and neighborhood revitalization throughout the south suburban Cook County region. Cornerstone CDC delivers an integrated network of services that includes congregate meals for older adults, a community food pantry, workforce development and employment assistance, behavioral health and recovery support, housing and resource navigation, and community wellness initiatives. Through The Sustenance Initiative, the organization is expanding its role within the regional food system by developing a year-round community food hub anchored by a hydroponic farm, partnerships with local and regional growers, a weekly farmers market, and distribution to community meal sites and institutional partners.
For their 2026 GFPI Community Fund Project, titled “The Sustenance Initiative: Cultivating Healthy Communities and Local Food Systems” they plan to continue the work of building out their food hub that will be supplied by the hydroponic farm, and by sourcing from local growers. This plan includes a market, distribution to seniors and pantries, and more!
-
The Hope Center CLC is a community-based nonprofit and social enterprise located in Blue Island, Illinois, with a mission to "Do Good, Foster Hope, and Change Lives." They work to eliminate food insecurity and create economic opportunities by equipping individuals and families with the skills, resources, and relationships needed to thrive. They primarily serve low-to-moderate-income communities across South Suburban Cook County, particularly Black, Latino, immigrant, and senior populations who face barriers to accessing healthy food and economic opportunity.
Through their “Blue Island Food Island” initiative, they operate outdoor gardens, a greenhouse, a food forest, hydroponic and aquaponic systems, and a community grower network that increases the production and distribution of locally grown food. They provide fresh produce, nutrition education, urban agriculture training, workforce development, and entrepreneurship opportunities. Their vision is to build a resilient, equitable local food system that nourishes communities while creating pathways to economic mobility.
During this project, The Hope Center will be expanding its existing garden and hydroponic operation into a broader neighborhood food production and distribution system, launching a grower training program to provide fresh & preserved produce to community sites, hiring a Community Grower Coordinator and expanding their food production by purchasing new equipment and cold storage.
-
Real Foods Collective (RFC) is a non-profit organization incubated by Proviso Partners for Health (PP4H) in Maywood. RFC aims to invest in racial and economic justice and build a resilient local food system that supports low-income, Black, Latine, and female food entrepreneurs and growers while increasing food access and nutrition education. We strive to provide culturally relevant, locally grown, high quality produce through a produce prescription box program and markets, and facilitate nutrition education and Food Is Medicine interventions through cooking demonstrations, group health education classes and individual Medical Nutrition Therapy. Our mission is to create economic opportunity through the power of food, community, and connection.
The primary goal of their “Real Foods Collective Mobile Market” project is to increase access to and awareness of GFPP values and good foods through their community partnerships and institutions. The 2026 funding will support a Market Manager dedicated to focusing on Maywood Summer and Mobile Market, increase community awareness and support of local foods and farmers, and increasing access to nutrition education and food Is medicine initiatives.
-
Robbins Community Garden is a community-based initiative operated under LadyLevelUp NFP, established to address food insecurity, promote sustainability, and expand access to fresh, organically grown produce in Robbins, Illinois and surrounding underserved communities. Their mission is to strengthen community health and resilience by providing equitable access to nutritious food, environmental education, and hands-on agricultural opportunities.
The garden serves residents in Robbins and nearby South Suburban communities, many of whom live in areas impacted by limited access to fresh food and limited green space. They operate a working community garden that grows and distributes fresh produce at no cost to local families, while also offering volunteer opportunities, youth engagement, and community learning programs focused on gardening, nutrition, and sustainability.
“Growing Food Access and Community Resilience Through Sustainable Urban Agriculture” is a project focused on deepening community engagement with local residents, as well as increasing the garden’s production capacity , supporting staff, and building infrastructure support.
-
Roots & Vine Food Hub is a non-profit organization that aims to reconnect and strengthen our community’s relationship with food through an online ordering platform that provides locally produced, responsibility grown foods and value-added products in tandem with educational and nutrition programming. They primarily serve Park Forest and other neighboring south suburban communities, with plans to expand our reach over the coming years.
Their multi-faceted approach to community health and wellbeing, provides the convenience and peace-of-mind when it comes to knowing where your food comes from and how it was grown, while our educational tools and workshops empower community members to experiment, learn new culinary methods, and make choices that fit their lifestyle needs.
“Establishing an impactful food hub, built for long-term growth and commitment to the community.” is about establishing an impactful food hub, built for long-term growth and commitment to the community that will strengthen local food access and create new opportunities for South Suburban growers.
-
Evanston Grows' mission is to increase healthy food access, promote food literacy, and advance health equity by building a local food system that is just, sustainable, and resilient. Founded in 2021, Evanston Grows transforms underutilized spaces into productive urban farms and gardens while addressing food insecurity through collaboration, education, and sustainable agriculture.
Serving residents of all ages (with a focus on underserved neighborhoods and residents experiencing food insecurity), Evanston Grows operates six urban farms, supports 22 community partner gardens, and provides free farm stands, food distribution, nutrition education, gardening workshops, culinary demonstrations, youth workforce development, and volunteer opportunities. Evanston Grows is cultivating not only fresh food, but also healthier neighborhoods, stronger community connections, and a more resilient local food system.
For their 2026 GFPI Community Fund Project they plan to “Expand sustainable farm infrastructure to increase local food production, strengthen partnerships with food banks and senior programs, and provide greater access to fresh, healthy produce for underserved communities.” They plan to make infrastructure improvements that will increase food production to existing pantry and community center partnerships as well as increase their sales to K-12 meal programs.The project will also establish a new garden site that will allow homebound seniors and individuals with disabilities to grow their own food with support from Evanston Grows staff and a new weekly farm stand for seniors.
-
Otter Oaks Farm, owned and run by partners Soraya Alem and Jarvi Schneider, contributes to Chicago’s local pipeline of produce through a sustainable farm business with plots located in Garfield Park and Woodstock, IL. They grow and supply specialty produce to food pantries, hospitals, schools, restaurants, and residents through wholesale partnerships and Community Supported Agriculture produce boxes. Their farm's mission centers on cultivating a sustainable, supportive community guided by the values of helping others, creativity, knowledge, and wholeness. They not only grow nutritious food but also teach others how to grow it through mushroom cultivation classes.
The “Growing Otter Oaks” project is focused on building upon a solid foundation built by the Otter Oaks team by investing in additional staffing, infrastructure and equipment. Clear need for season extension to support existing and proposed expanded institutional relationships.
-
Sowed Up Farms was founded on the belief that everyone deserves equitable access to fresh, nutritious, and culturally relevant food, and that the people growing that food should have the opportunity to build financially sustainable businesses while serving their own communities. Rooted in Chicago's Austin neighborhood, Sowed Up Farms is a Black woman-owned, community-rooted food enterprise that uses urban agriculture to strengthen neighborhood health, expand equitable food access, and create economic opportunity through local food production.
Their mission is to demonstrate a financially sustainable model of community-rooted urban agriculture by transforming underutilized urban land into productive agricultural spaces that strengthen local food systems through community stewardship, strategic partnerships, and permanent land ownership.
“Advancing a Community-Rooted Food Enterprise” plans to expand production across three Chicago growing sites and strengthen its ability to reliably supply locally grown produce to existing and future community and institutional buyers, including food-access and healthcare organizations. This project reduces food loss and supports larger and reliable institutional sales and community relationships while increasing capacity to supply local food to community orgs and institutions.
-
Adelante Center for Entrepreneurship is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2019. Their mission is to create wealth in distressed communities through entrepreneurship, living-wage job creation, and community development. Over seven years, they’ve built an integrated food ecosystem combining for-profit and nonprofit activities focused on innovative solutions to food access, food insecurity, and workforce development, particularly for workers navigating justice involvement, limited education, or mental health challenges.
Our social enterprises include Garfield Produce Company (GPC), a sustainable hydroponic farm growing premium certified organic microgreens in East Garfield Park, and a post-Marketplace Café in Waukegan. Nonprofit programs include Post Pantry, HarvestLink, and a youth STEM camp with integrated nutrition education. Our food-as-medicine partnership with Rosalind Franklin University's IC Clinic delivers medically tailored food directly to patients managing diet-related chronic illness, connecting clinical care with local food production. Additional partners include Chicago Food Rescue and West Suburban Community Pantry.
“Harvestlink Production Expansion: Grow Capacity, Cold Chain, and Market Access in East Garfield Park” main focus is further development, implementation and enhancement of the HarvestLink program and system
-
HOJO Family Assistance Program (HOJOFAP) is a Black‑led, community‑rooted food distribution organization based in Chicago’s West Side. Founded in 2022, HOJOFAP was created in direct response to the food insecurity, economic exclusion, and systemic disinvestment impacting West Garfield Park, North Lawndale, and surrounding neighborhoods.
Their mission is to strengthen family stability by increasing access to healthy, culturally relevant food and providing consistent support to systemically marginalized residents. They source, aggregate, store, and distribute fresh produce, proteins, and essential groceries to community meal sites, churches, senior households, youth programs, and mutual‑aid partners across Metro Chicago. HOJOFAP operates year‑round food distribution, emergency grocery support, youth engagement, and community resource navigation
HOJOFAP plans to building cold storage and inventory systems to expand food delivery to community meal sites and mutual aid partners across the West Side and grow the organization's capacity through the “West Side Community Food Distribution Capacity Expansion Project” These upgrades increase their ability to safely store and distribute fresh produce, proteins, and culturally relevant foods to community meal sites. The project also advances health and nutrition by increasing the availability of nutrient‑dense foods for seniors, families, youth, and returning citizens. Expanded capacity allows them to serve more community meal sites, improving long‑term food security and supporting healthier outcomes across neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by food apartheid.
-
ChiFresh Kitchen is a Black-owned worker-owned cooperative based in Chicago's Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. They believe food is more than a meal, rather, a pathway to better health, economic opportunity, and community wealth. Their mission is to nourish communities while creating ownership opportunities for justice-impacted individuals.
They prepare fresh, nutritious meals using seasonal ingredients and locally sourced produce whenever possible. Inspired by their Chicago roots, we create flavorful, culturally relevant meals that support healthier communities. Their three primary lines of business include institutional meal service for schools and daycares, medically tailored meals in partnership with healthcare organizations such as Rush University Medical Center, and catering for community events and large groups.
As a worker-owned cooperative, every team member has the opportunity to earn a living wage, receive benefits, and become an owner. Many of their members are formerly incarcerated Black women and other justice-impacted individuals, making ChiFresh Kitchen a model for economic opportunity, community ownership, and food justice.
‘ChiFresh Expanding Local Food Access Through Cold-Chain Distribution” centers on expanding cold storage transportation to build stronger connections, shared resources, and greater opportunity across the regional food system.
-
Sol de Chicago Farm LLC is a Black, Latino, immigrant, and woman-owned urban farm based in Chicago, Illinois. Their mission is to sustainably grow high-quality produce while increasing food access, strengthening local food systems, and expanding community-rooted pathways for fresh, locally grown produce.
Founded in 2025, Sol de Chicago Farm now operates two growing sites in Chicago. They are expanding their engagement more with the community of Garfield Park and have been finding ways to serve the residents through produce sales, donations, food access partnerships, and relationships with community organizations, local businesses, and values-aligned food system collaborators.
“Growing Access: Expanding Community Food Distribution and Local Food Pathways Through Urban Agriculture” builds up Sol De Chicago Farm’s capacity and will make infrastructure, transportation and labor improvements in order to scale the community food access work and reach more partners including institutions.