Area businesses and food pantries did well in the first round of grant funding as part of the state’s Back to Business Securing Local Food Systems program.
Three Emporia nonprofits received money. Abundant Harvest got $12,500, while the Farmers Market got $5,000 and the Salvation Army got $16,000.
Allen Meat Processing in Allen got $100,000, the top amount allowed by the program.
Areawide:
*Chase County Care and Compassion received $7,400
*The Coffey County Library’s leRoy branch received $2,500
*In Greenwood County, Salt Creek Farm of Severy got $73,000
*Osage County had two recipients. Osage Capital of Osage City got $25,000. Ecumenical Christian Action Team, also of Osage City, got $5,000
All told, roughly $9 million was distributed as part of the program. Grants can be used for a range of capital expenses like building or facility rental to expand capacity, reconfiguration of different spaces to meet social distancing guidelines, adding technology to improve business resilience and cost offsets for worker safety, sanitation needs or increased inspections.
