McClinton Celebrates New Funding for The Community Grocer
The innovative food retailer has received nearly $1 million in state funding since 2024
Rep. Joanna E. McClinton November 10, 2026 | 2:57 PM
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 9 – State House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, is celebrating the latest round of funding for The Community Grocer, the innovative retailer helping combat food insecurity in West Philadelphia.
McClinton is a longtime champion of the project and is working alongside its founders, Eli Moraru and Alex Imbot, to make the retailer a reality in her community.
“Everyone should have easy access to fresh, healthy foods, yet food insecurity is growing across Pennsylvania, including in the communities I represent,” McClinton said. “Even before the brick-and-mortar shop is open, The Community Grocer has already provided tens of thousands of healthy meals to neighbors and offered lessons about nutrition to students and adults in my community.”
TCG was recently selected for support under the state’s Neighborhood Assistance Program, a tax credit program that allows local businesses to reduce their tax burden by funding nonprofit projects around the state. TCG received $13,000 from WSFS Bank through NAP’s Enterprise Zone Program, and $90,000 from M&T Bank under NAP’s Neighborhood Partnership Program.
McClinton said the business contributions will help TCG scale its workforce development activities to help even more residents of southwest Philadelphia.
Since attending TCG’s groundbreaking in 2023, McClinton has continued to meet with the project’s leaders and helped them secure state funding, including:
- $45,000 from Department of Community and Economic Development’s PA Fresh Food Financing Initiative (2024)
- $210,000 from DCED’s Commonwealth Financing Authority to purchase two meal delivery vehicles (2024)
- $300,000 from DCED’s Community & Economic Assistance Program for the rehab of blighted building for community center (2024)
- $100,000 from DCED’s Community Support Tax Credit Program (2025)
- $100,000 from Department of Agriculture’s PA Fresh Food Financing Initiative (2025)
McClinton said that more than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians are food insecure, including seniors, working families, and children, and that TCG is helping satisfy unmet need in her community. She noted that food insecurity is worsening due to Trump administration policies like devastating cuts to the SNAP program and increased food prices driven by the war in Iran.