Gov Carney Signs Measure to Help Eliminate Food Deserts in DE

Governor John Carney on Thursday signed Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 254 which creates the Delaware Grocery Initiative and addresses food insecurity in urban and rural food deserts. The measure will help eliminate food deserts by ensuring food is more readily available. The Delaware Grocery Initiative is a new grant program which will help strengthen and broaden the reach of existing network of small businesses, nonprofits and other organizations currently providing under-served communities with access to fresh, healthy food.

Additional information from Governor Carney’s release:  

“Healthy eating and proper nutrition are critically important to the health and welfare of our communities. This legislation and the Delaware Grocery Initiative will help eliminate food deserts in our urban and rural areas by ensuring food is more readily available,” said Governor Carney. “I want to thank Senator Brown and the General Assembly for supporting this legislation.”

“Far too many Delaware families do not have readily available access to healthy foods. As a result, we have seen health care costs go through the roof, our obesity and diabetes rates hit record levels, and we see worsening inequities in our life expectancy,” said Senator Darius Brown. “My passion and vision for a healthier Delaware is why I sponsored Senate Bill 254 (S), establishing a holistic, statewide strategy for reducing food insecurity, while creating a new grant program called the Delaware Grocery Initiative to help strengthen the existing network of small businesses, nonprofits and other organizations currently providing underserved communities with some of their only access to fresh, healthy food. The Delaware Grocery Initiative will give our community partners the ability to deepen and broaden their reach. It will also yield innovative economic tools allowing our multi-ethnic businesses to have an active role in solving the problems that impact the communities they serve. I thank Governor Carney for signing Senate Bill 254 into law today, a policy I am confident will get more nutritious and healthy foods to the neighborhoods that need them the most.”

As created in Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 254, the Delaware Grocery Initiative is a healthy foods initiative that will provide financial assistance to eligible food resources outlined in the bill.

“Food is one of our most basic survival needs, yet thousands of Delawareans still do not have access to fresh, healthy options in their communities,” said Representative Nnamdi Chukwuocha. “The quality of our food directly impacts our quality of life, with healthier options leading to better health outcomes and overall wellbeing. We must continue to seek creative and comprehensive solutions to ensure everyone has access to the foods and markets they need to thrive, and the signing of this bill is a significant step toward that goal.”

“Today’s signing of Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 254 marks a transformative moment for our community. The Delaware Grocery Initiative is not just a policy change—it’s a lifeline for the thousands of families in Northeast Wilmington and across the state who struggle daily with food insecurity. For far too long, urban and rural food deserts have deprived our communities of access to fresh, nutritious food, exacerbating the challenges of poverty and health disparities,” said Logan Herring, Chief Executive Officer, WRK Group. “We are deeply grateful to Governor Carney, Senator Darius Brown, and the members of the General Assembly for their leadership and commitment to addressing these critical issues. At The WRK Group, we remain steadfast in our mission to uplift and empower our community, and this initiative aligns perfectly with our ongoing efforts to create sustainable, healthy futures for the residents of Northeast Wilmington. Together, we are laying the groundwork for a stronger, more equitable Delaware.”

“Signing this bill into law is a milestone and demonstrates the State’s prioritization of food access and commitment to address food insecurity in our communities. We know what the gaps are, where the needs are, and which organizations are playing key roles in the food system. The Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy created the First State Food System grant program using state ARPA funds,” said Allison Karpyn, Member, Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy. “Awarding grants to directly support Delaware farmers, retailers, restaurants, food pantries, faith-based and community organizations builds resilience in our food supply chain and feeds Delawareans. The Delaware Grocery Initiative will not only ensure continuity of this grant program, but gives us necessary tools to address challenges, and hold ourselves accountable through a new Delaware Food Access Strategy.”

“Food insecurity is very real in the state of Delaware,” said, Chad Robinson, Vice President of External Affairs, Food Bank of Delaware, citing statistics that show 120,000 Delawareans struggle with food insecurity, roughly 1 in 8 Delawareans and 1 in 5 Delaware children. “Achieving our goal of a community free of hunger requires a commitment from all of us and this is what this bill represents.”