Community Food Investment

Program Overview

The Community Food Investment initiative is West Side United’s strategy to address food insecurity by investing directly in sustainable, community-based food infrastructure. This initiative supports the development of permanent, resident-informed solutions like grocery stores, food co-ops, and community food enterprises that serve historically underserved West Side neighborhoods.

The goal is to ensure equitable access to affordable, fresh, and culturally appropriate food, especially in areas classified as food deserts. Community Food Investment ties together planning, funding, infrastructure, and community voice into a long-term model of food justice.

Key Partners and Impacts

The initiative operates through strong partnerships with:

• Community Partners like Garfield Park Community Council (GPCC), a long-time grassroots partner leading neighborhood-level food programming.

• City of Chicago, through support for real estate and redevelopment projects in food-insecure areas.

• Consultants, who can conduct environmental scans and help us understand grocery models that align with community members’ goals.

• Foundations, including the Blackhawks Foundation, which funded pop-up markets, and other philanthropic partners who support capital development.

Key impacts include:

• Community-informed grocery planning for the vacant Aldi site and new developments like the one at Madison and Hamlin, with input collected through surveys and community engagement sessions.

  Rehabilitation of the Save A Lot grocery store in West Garfield Park, based on community feedback around produce quality, pricing, and store conditions.

• Pop-up markets and emergency food distribution, helping fill gaps when Aldi abruptly closed in the neighborhood, leaving seniors and families without accessible food options.

These efforts have helped re-establish trusted food access points, guided by what residents say they want and need.

Long-Term Vision

The long-term vision of the Community Food Investment initiative is to build a resilient, community-controlled food ecosystem that puts ownership, sustainability, and equity at the forefront. This includes:

• Developing community oriented grocery stores to prevent sudden closures and ensure long-term accountability.

• Embedding resident voices into the governance of food access infrastructure and retail operations.

• Advocating for policies and funding models that support food justice in structurally underserved neighborhoods.

Ultimately, West Side United envisions a future where every neighborhood has consistent, dignified access to food—and where local food enterprises not only nourish communities but also create jobs, circulate wealth, and reflect community culture.