Latino Economic Development Center
The Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) used HFFI financing to establish the Immigrant Enterprise Healthy Foods Fund, which invests in immigrant-owned, food-related enterprises that hire local low-income residents of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Six projects are under development with financing from the fund: a Latino-owned grocery, a cooperative grocery, a producer-owned retail store, a Latino tamale manufacturer, a commercial kitchen for Hmong growers, and a produce warehouse to benefit both local producers and a purchasing cooperative of Mexican restaurants and grocery stores. This program will create over 40 new full-time jobs and increase access to healthy food in these two low-income areas, including two USDA food desserts. LEDC is also using HFFI financing to co-develop Wirth Cooperative Grocery and establish two mobile grocery stores to circulate in high-need low-income areas. These projects respond to the nutritional needs of low-income residents, provide sales opportunities for immigrant farmers, and are expected to create an additional 38 new jobs. You can find more information here.
Source of money: HFFI CED Program