The city of Geneva is getting a new community kitchen in an attempt to combat food insecurity.
Sen. Chuck Schumer says $44,000 in federal funding is secured for Blueprint Geneva, which will "utilize Finger Lakes agriculture to provide quality affordable meals and create a much-needed gathering space for the local community."
"Access to fresh, affordable, healthy food options shouldn’t be a luxury for communities in Upstate New York, it is a basic right. This project is a win-win that will tap into the Finger Lakes rich agricultural bounty to help give fresh food options to those who need it most, all while boosting the downtown and giving young chefs & entrepreneurs a space to learn and grow," said Sen. Schumer. "I am proud to deliver this funding to BluePrint Geneva to strengthen their tremendous work in combatting food insecurity, and giving the people of Geneva the community space and food options they deserve."
Geneva is currently classified as a food desert due to the relatively high number of low-income households and lack of easy access to a supermarket or large grocery store.
"When environmental contamination made it unsafe for people to have backyard gardens, we started public gardens to grow the produce and distribute it so neighbors wouldn't have to add to their grocery bill to replace what they lost; now we are turning our attention to people who don't have kitchens, or time, or funds to make healthy hot meals. We can help fill in those gaps,” said Teresa Velez, board president of BluePrint Geneva.
News of the new food kitchen comes just a couple of years after the closure of BJ’s Wholesale Club and Tops Market in Geneva.