Rabb introduces legislation to provide grants, tax credits to restaurants that sell PA Preferred groceries in food deserts

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus    October 1, 2020 | 1:49 PM

HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., has introduced legislation to provide grants of up to $50,000 and tax credits of up to $100,000 to restauranteurs who sell PA Preferred groceries to customers in underserved neighborhoods.

“Food deserts have been a problem for a long time,” Rabb said. “Food deserts exist in both urban and rural neighborhoods, and people in those neighborhoods aren’t able to easily access healthy food within their local area, beyond canned goods and pre-packaged foods. In order to improve the health and well-being of our communities, we need to ensure everyone has easy access to healthy foods.”

The Food Trust reports that more than 2 million people, including over 500,000 children, live in food deserts across Pennsylvania.

This program has two parts – grants and tax credits for enterprising, socially conscious restaurateurs who sell PA Preferred groceries to customers in under-served neighborhoods. The grants of up to $50,000 or tax credits of up to $100,000 would assist qualifying restaurants in fortifying their business operations while offering Pennsylvania-sourced groceries food such as meat, fruit, vegetables, dairy and eggs. Rabb said the program would also create local jobs in economically distressed communities.

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