State and local officials joined the residents of Highland Falls today to celebrate the grand opening of MyTown Marketplace, the towns new and only full-service grocery store. Governor Andrew M. Cuomos New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities (HFHC) Fund provided financing to local owners Lisa Berrios and Albert Rodriguez to open the store and serve their hometown, which was left without a daily fresh food outlet when Highland Falls only supermarket closed last year. The new store is creating eight new full-time and 19 part-time jobs for the towns residents.
The $ 30 million New York HFHC Fund is an innovative financing program created to revitalize upstate and downstate neighborhoods by encouraging investment in healthy food retail for neighborhoods with no supermarkets. The fund is administered by the nonprofit Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) with its partners The Food Trust and The Reinvestment Fund (TRF). The HFHC Fund was seeded with a $ 10 million commitment from Empire State Development (ESD) and the Department of Agriculture & Markets, which was leveraged with a $ 20 million investment from The Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group. ESD, Goldman Sachs and the New York State Health Foundation provided additional funds to support technical assistance and program administration.
The HFHC Fund provided funds to Ms. Berrios and Mr. Rodriguez, both experienced in the food industry, to open MyTown Marketplace. Those who live in the area, including us, have desperately needed the reopening of our only full-service supermarket, said Lisa Berrios, co-owner of MyTown Marketplace, The reopening of MyTown Marketplace could only have been accomplished with the support of the New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities Fund. The dollars invested in our store, our community and the health of Highland Falls families have made a powerful and positive difference in our lives.
Located in New Yorks Mid-Hudson region, the Village of Highland Falls and the adjacent hamlet of Fort Montgomery, are home to 5,500 New Yorkers. Village of Highland Falls Mayor Joseph DOnofrio worked with the Town of Highlands and Orange County to provide weekly bus service to a grocery in Cortlandt Manor 11 miles away when the villages supermarket closed last spring. The new store is directly across the street from Highland Falls senior center.
The whole community is very excited to have local residents open a grocery store in our Village of Highland Falls. MyTown Marketplace serves residents who previously traveled 10 to 15 miles for their groceries. This has been a much anticipated opening and a great addition to our community, said Town of Highlands Supervisor Edward Magryta. The New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities Fund supported two local entrepreneurs who are now providing a much needed service to their community. It is the type of investment we need to stimulate our local economy and provide good local jobs.
The New York HFHC Fund is part of a statewide Healthy Food/Healthy Communities Initiative to encourage economic growth, support healthier eating habits and reduce the prevalence of diet-related disease in New York. In addition to MyTown Marketplace, the fund has approved financing for new and expanded healthy food retail outlets in Mount Vernon, Brooklyn and Conklin, as well as a mobile market in Buffalo. LIIF worked closely with its partners The Food Trust and TRF to evaluate and finance MyTown Marketplace through the program. The Food Trust and TRF led the much-lauded Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative, the program on which the New York HFHC Fund was modeled.
The new MyTown store has 12,000 square feet of food retail space. The owners renovated the building where the old supermarket was located and expanded the stores perishable departments. The store is participating in the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets Pride of New York and Buy Local Retail Promotion programs.
Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine said, Increasing access to good, healthy food in all of our communities is a commitment of Governor Cuomos Administration. The opening of the MyTown Marketplace will provide that access and economic opportunity in the community. The market will also provide another outlet for products from local farmers to strengthen our agricultural community.
The New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities (HFHC) Fund is increasing access to healthy food in the neighborhoods that need it most, while spurring growth that leads to job creation and prosperous communities across New York State, said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams. Improving our states business climate includes improving the quality of life and well-being of all New Yorkers. ESD is proud to be a part of this revitalization effort and applauds all our partners for their role in ensuring MyTown Marketplace opened its doors in Highland Falls.
Nancy O. Andrews, President & CEO of the Low Income Investment Fund, said, MyTown Marketplace will increase the availability of healthy food and create economic opportunities for the people of Highland Falls. The Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) is pleased that our work through the New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities Fund has immediate benefits for local families, youth and senior citizens and is an investment in the future well-being of the town and its residents.
The opening of MyTown Marketplace is an important step toward ensuring that all New York families have access to healthy, affordable food, said The Food Trust Executive Director Yael Lehmann. The Food Trust is proud to be a part of bringing fresh food to Highland Falls families through the HFHC.
Ensuring access to affordable, nutritious foods is essential to keeping New Yorkers healthy, reducing obesity, and preventing the onset of illnesses like diabetes, said James R. Knickman, President & CEO of the New York State Health Foundation. Were so pleased to support this partnership and to see the tangible impact the HFHC is having in the Highland Falls community.
For more information about the New York HFHC Fund or to apply, please visit LIIFs website, http://www.liifund.org/nyhealthyfood. To contact the fund administrator, email nyhealthyfood(at)liifund(dot)org or call (212) 509-5509 ext. 16.
About Empire State Development Corp.
Empire State Development is New Yorks chief economic development agency and administrator of the statewide business resource portal Business First (http://www.NYfirst.NY.gov). The mission of Empire State Development is to promote business investment and growth that leads to job creation and prosperous communities across New York State. ESD also oversees the marketing of I LOVE NY, the States iconic tourism brand. For more information on Empire State Development, visit http://www.esd.ny.gov.
About New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets mission is to foster a competitive food and agriculture industry that benefits producers and consumers alike. Agriculture makes up one-quarter of the State's land area and contributes immensely to the quality of life in New York State by generating economic activity and producing wholesome products to nourish our families. We work diligently to promote a viable agricultural industry, foster agricultural environmental stewardship, and safeguard our food supply.
About the Low Income Investment Fund
The Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) invests capital to support healthy families and communities. Since 1984, LIIF has served 970,000 people by providing over $ 990 million in financing and technical assistance. Over its history, LIIF has supported efforts to create and preserve: 56,000 units of affordable ho
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