A pilot program to expand healthy food choices and improve the aesthetics of neighborhood convenience stores was co-sponsored by Alderman Loan Lane of the 18th Ward and approved by City Council today.

The “Healthy Corner Store Pilot Project” will provide a $40,000 grant to the Inner-City MuslimAction Network (IMAN) to work with select retailers on expanding fresh produce and dairy products as part of their stores’ regular inventory. IMAN will also market various City of Chicago programs that help store owners to improve the appearance and operation of their places of business.

“We know there can be a cultural disconnect between store owners and the people they serve, especially when it comes to healthy food options. This pilot program will help owners to incorporate and leverage fresh food and store improvements as part of their business plans,” Mayor Emanuel said.

The year-long pilot will provide training, technical assistance, and business resources to IMAN’s existing network of Muslim store owners, along with other store operators, that operate in low-income sections of the West, Southwest, and South sides of the city. The work will include assistance with the procurement of fresh produce from Chicago-based farms and fresh food distributors.

IMAN is a community-based 501©(3) organization founded in 1995 to address business, social and cultural issues involving Muslims in Chicago. In 2007, it launched a “Campaign for Health, Wellness and Healing,” which sought to mitigate cultural tensions between certain store owners and customers. The Healthy Corner Store program will expand the premise of that initiative by helping owners with alternative business planning, access to healthy food, and resources for facility improvements. IMAN will provide a first-quarter, mid-year and final report to the Department of Planning and Development that details the number of stores that adopt and sustain program objectives.

Funding for the program will come from the City’s corporate budget.

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