In the News

First Lady Michelle Obama: Making Healthy Food Accessible and Affordable
First Lady Michelle Obama visited Philadelphia, PA to discuss federal funding for a new multi-year Healthy Food Financing Initiative which will increase the availability of affordable, healthy foods in underserved urban and rural communities, particularly through the development or equipping of grocery stores and other healthy food retailers.

Good Morning America: School Nutrition Program Takes Up Obesity Fight
The Food Trust's School Nutrition Policy Initiative, found to reduce the number of kids becoming overweight by 50% is featured in this Good Morning America segment

N.J. Grocer to be a guest at Obama speech
Jeff Brown, who runs Brown's Super Stores Inc. of Westville, Gloucester County, will be seated with the First Lady at the State of the Union address. Brown has been working with the Fresh Food Financing Initiative, a Pennsylvania program that combines state and private money.

WHYY: Some Neighborhoods Struggle to Attract Markets
New supermarkets may be routine in the suburbs, but in some urban areas they are a rarity. WHYY's Elizabeth Fiedler and Peter Crimmins offer this joint report on local efforts to bring the benefits of fresh food to the inner city.

A Little Money Buys a Lot of Calories at City Corner Stores
A new study, “Snacking in Children: The Role of Urban Corner Stores,” was published in the medical journal Pediatrics. Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through its national program Healthy Eating Research, this study is part of a larger effort, The Food Trust's the Healthy Corner Store Initiative. The Initiative helps store owners in Philadelphia stock fresh fruit and other healthy snacks.

State of Louisiana Approves $7 Million for Fresh Food Initiative in New Orleans
The state of Louisiana's new Fresh Food Retail Initiative is a three-year program of forgivable and low-interest loans made to supermarkets, grocery stores and other fresh food retailers, designed to provide healthy food at affordable prices in underserved neighborhoods in New Orleans.

Fresh Grocer plants a supermarket in Northwest Philadelphia
With help from the Fresh Food Financing Initiative, Fresh Grocer opens its ninth store in Northwest Philadelphia, bringing to an end a more than 40-year absence of a supermarket in that part of the city.

The White House: A "Fresh" Conversation on the Future of America's Cities and Metro Areas
Blog post by Adolfo Carrion, Director of the White House Urban Affairs Office and Deputy Assistant to the President. Carrion writes, ..."in Philadelphia, we highlighted Pennsylvania’s Fresh Food Financing Initiative (FFFI), an effort that brings fresh food to underserved communities, both rural and urban - also known as "food deserts". The FFFI is a public-private partnership between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, The Reinvestment Fund, The Food Trust, and the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, that provides a statewide grant and loan program for grocery store development. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and Deputy HUD Secretary Ron Sims traveled with us to learn more about the FFFI and the impact on communities across Pennsylvania."

Philadelphia Inquirer: Obama officials come to applaud more Philadelphia supermarkets
Philadelphia was selected as the first site of the National Conversation on Urban and Metropolitan America. Officials from the Obama Administration came to hear about local efforts to provide fresh, quality food in low-income communities.

New York Times: Incentives Attract Healthier Food to Low-Income Areas
New York creates the "Healthy Foods, Healthy Communities" Initiative, modeled after the Fresh Food Financing Intiative in Pennsylvania.

South Philly Review: In Food We Trust
The neighborhood welcomes The Food Trust's new farmers' market on Broad and South streets.

Chicago Tribune: Measure would help promote groceries in 'food deserts'
The Food Trust applauds this effort to bring more grocery stores to low-income areas in Illinois.

Chicago Tribune: Lacking fresh food leaves neighborhoods less than whole
The Fresh Food Financing Initiative, pioneered by Rep. Dwight Evans, The Food Trust, The Reinvestment Fund and the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, has invested in new and expanded supermarkets across Pennsylvania. Now Illinois is considering a similar initiative.

Philadelphia Inquirer: Mixed Greens
This article highlights The Food Trust's farmers markets for 2009

Forbes: 'Illinois Fresh Food Fund' designed to improve health of Illinois residents and create jobs
Brian Lang, Associate Director at The Food Trust is featured in this article.

Gov Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg, Speaker Quinn announce Healthy Food/Healthy Communities Initiative
The State and City initiatives are a result of the work of the New York Supermarket Commission, a coalition convened by The Food Trust, including representatives from the City, the State, labor groups, public health advocates, supermarkets and financial institutions.

New York Times: Fresh Food for Urban Deserts
Pennsylvania's Fresh Food Financing Intiative is highlighted as a national model for bringing fresh food into urban areas.

Local group aims to fight obesity by Snackin' Fresh
This Fishtown Star article focuses on the success of our campaign to increase the amount of healthy foods sold in corner stores.

Community giving provides Christmas for many
As the project manager for The Food Trust's Community Nutrition Project, Moriah Zimmerman works with a coalition of food pantries, including the one at Indian Valley Opportunity Center in Souderton.

Incentives for Farmers Markets Explored: Goal is Healthier Food in Underserved Areas
In this Times-Picayune article, Sen. Ann Duplessis, D-New Orleans, and John Weidman, Deputy Executive Director of The Food Trust discuss the effort in Louisiana to create a financing pool to support fresh food retail.

Shopping in the City
A new supermarket opens in Harrisburg, PA thanks to the Fresh Food Financing Intiative. "The need for a high-quality supermarket in the midtown and uptown areas is significant and is a welcome addition to the area," said Matthew Coulter, a spokesman for the city.

Philadelphia Inquirer: What's New on the Menu? Labeling
Philadelphia City Council passed a bill requiring restaurant chains to list nutritional information. The Food Trust was among the bill's proponents.

The daily junk-food fill-up.
Researchers at Temple University's Center for Obesity Research and Education work with staff at The Food Trust to document what kids are purchasing at corner stores on their way to and from school.

The Food Trust's Corner Store Project on CBS
The Food Trust and Temple University's Center for Obesity Research and Education find that kids are consuming junk food at corner stores on their way to school. Several stores are now offering fresh fruit as a new healthy alternative.

Jewish Exponent: Philly Nonprofit Lets the Kids Veg Out
The Food Trust Executive Director, Yael Lehmann, comments on The Food Trust’s mission and philosophy. The accomplishments of The Food Trust’s programming in schools and the community are highlighted.

The Intelligencer: Fresh Approach to Food Donations
This article highlights The Food Trust’s efforts to increase the quantity and quality of fresh produce in food pantries and soup kitchens.

Christian Science Monitor: A fresh Idea Brings Healthy Food to Low-income Neighborhoods
The Fresh Food Financing Initiative, a finalist in Harvard's Innovations in American Government Award, was recognized in the Christian Science Monitor.

Washington Post: Fresh off the Farm- Va. Program Connects Schools to Homegrown Food
The Food Trust's work to support the national Farm to School Movement is commended in this article from the Washington Post.

Time Magazine: It's Not Just Genetics
The Food Trust's farmers' market and school programs are noted for their success in bringing nutritious, affordable food to residents of inner-city areas. The Trust’s work is acknowledged as an effective way to combat obesity and other health problems.

EbonyJet.com: Food Deserts- Redressing a Harvest of Neglect
The Food Trust is featured in an article about the importance of increasing access to affordable, nutritious food.

Associated Press: Families benefit from creative solutions to 'food deserts'
The Fresh Food Financing Initiative was hailed for its efforts to improve access to nutritious, affordable food in areas that were once underserved by healthy food retail. This initiative works to create loans for supermarket development across the state and provides incentives for stores to open and offer healthier options.

Associated Press: Schools tackle childhood obesity
In 2-year experiment, those that pushed nutrition had fewer students become overweight

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Market feud heats up Margate early
The Food Trust weighs in on how farmers' markets can bring benefits to a community.

The Washington Post: Groceries Grow Elusive for Many in New York City
The Food Trust is working with the City of New York to address the problem of limited food access in communities.

USA Today: Cities Study Dearth of Healthy Food
The Food Trust is one of several organization's nationwide addressing inadequate access to healthy food in communities.

Times Picayune: Access to healthful foods addressed
The New Orleans City Council has endorsed 10 recommendations that would include tax breaks and public start-up assistance for businesses that sell affordable, healthful food in poor neighborhoods. The Food Trust has partnered with New Orlean's Food Policy Advisory Committee to develop the reommendations.

Philadelphia Inquirer: On the Side: In Head House, hearing market echoes
Philadellphia Inquirer columnist Rick Nichols raves about Philadelphia's newest market in its oldest location.

Philadelphia Daily News: Old as dirt and farm fresh: Market is back in town
Michael Nutter cut the ribbon of the Headhouse Farmers' Market, a very old market structure filled with a new generation of farmers. The Headhouse Farmers' Market is one of The Food Trust's 27 farmers' markets.

Philly.com: Woman of the Week, Yael Lehmann
Yael Lehmann, The Food Trust's executive director was selected as the Woman of the Week by Philly.com. Yael was recognized for her contribution to the Philadelphia community and other outstanding achievements.

City Paper: Produce Placement
The Headhouse Farmers' Market at 2nd and Lombard Sts. is opening at the nation's oldest marketplace still in operation.

New York Times: In Market, Hope for Health and Urban Renewal
The New York Times reported on The Fresh Food Financing Initiative and The Food Trust's work to bring a supermarket to Progress Plaza.

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Farmers Markets Go Wild
The Food Trust's farmers' markets not only bring fresh food into neighborhoods, but build community in the process.

Daily News: 11 hailed for work to aid environment
The Food Trust was one of 11 winners of the Philadelphia Sustainability Award. The Food Trust's work to build a sustainable, local food system was recognized as contributing to the sustainability of the region.

NPR: Group Maps City Access to Healthy Foods
Dan Charles interviews Food Trust founder Duane Perry about the use of maps to demonstrate the disparities of food access in Philadelphia.

USA Today: Small grocery stores hotbeds for food stamp fraud
Yael Lehmann, Food Trust executive director, makes the case for the for more food retail in underserved neighborhoods.

USA Today: New Rx: Help people to avoid getting sick
Environment plays a large role in health. The Food Trust's work in Philadelphia is part of a national movement to create healthier communities.

The Washington Post: In Cities, Healthful Living Through Fresher Shopping
The Washington Post reports on the Fresh Food Financing Initiative and The Food Trust's work to ensure that all communities have adequate access to fresh food.

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Reversing a supermarket trend
The Fresh Food Financing Initiative is helping to bring supermarkets back to underserved neighborhoods.

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Catering to local tastes
More grocery stores, especially those in ethnically diverse neighborhoods, are learning what their customers like — and stocking it.

Dr. Allison Karpyn on Radio Times
Dr. Allison Karpyn, Director of Research and Evaluation at The Food Trust, spoke with Marty Moss-Coane on WHYY about the relationship between school lunch and the childhood obesity epidemic.