$700K Granted Across 28 Organizations through Delaware Grocery Initiative

DELAWARE – On Wednesday, State legislators Senator Darius Brown and Representative Nnamdi Chukwuocha announced that $712,500 will be distributed across 28 organizations, farmers, and retailers through the Delaware Grocery Initiative.

The Delaware Grocery Initiative, established in 2024, strives to improve access to healthy foods and provide financial assistance to areas that are food insecure or at risk of becoming a food desert.

“Too many of our neighbors struggle with finding reliable access to healthy foods, and we must do everything in our power to ensure that every community in our State has avenues to nourishing food that supports their dignity, health, and opportunity,” said Senator Brown. “This round of Delaware Grocery Initiative grant funding is essential, providing much-needed financial support to organizations throughout our State who work to eradicate food deserts, increase healthy food distribution and production, and ensure that all Delawareans can prioritize their well-being.”

The funds will be used to increase availability in food deserts, specifically in the City of Wilmington and Kent and Sussex Counties. Additionally, grants will fund new storage and refrigeration systems throughout the state, expand food distribution infrastructure and supply chain capacity, and grow home delivery programs for vulnerable populations. 

“Access to fresh, healthy food should be a right, not a privilege,” said Representative Chukwuocha. “And in the less than two years since the legislation creating the Delaware Grocery Initiative was signed into law, we have been able to distribute nearly $1 million to community-based organizations up and down the state dedicated to ensuring that every Delawarean, regardless of their income, location, or transportation, can eat a nutritious diet.”

The following organizations received grant funds during the Spring 2026 cycle:

• D&J Custom Cutting (Statewide): $44,000
• Midas Harvest Urban Farm (New Castle/ Kent): $30,748
• Dittmar Family Farms (Sussex/Kent): $30,000
• Bellevue Community Center (New Castle): $22,203
• REACH Riverside (New Castle): $25,000
• Bright Spot Ventures (New Castle): $65,000
• Harvest Outreach People Project (Statewide): $60,000
• G’s Delight LLC (Sussex): $12,500
• Bennett Orchards (Sussex): $53,999
• Cornerstone West CDC (New Castle): $15,000
• Unique Minds Changing Lives (Sussex): $45,000
• La Red Health Center (Kent/Sussex): $28,500
• First State Youth (New Castle): $12,500
• Southern DE Truck Growers (Sussex): $15,000
• Expanded Branches CDC (New Castle): $16,000
• YWCA Delaware (New Castle): $12,000
• Milton Community Food Pantry (Sussex): $20,000
• Victorious Life Church (New Castle): $20,000
• Milford Advocacy for Homeless (Kent/Sussex): $18,150
• FLOW (New Castle): $12,500
• T.A. Farms (Statewide): $30,000
• House of David (Kent/Sussex): $20,000
• Health Foods for Healthy Kids (Kent): $15,000
• Network Connect (New Castle/Kent): $20,000
• Food Bank of DE (Kent/Sussex): $25,000
• Heritage Urban Farms (New Castle): $14,400
• Cornerstone Community Center (Sussex): $15,000
• Dominican Café (New Castle): $15,000