Belt celebrates groundbreaking on new grocery store in Venice

VENICE - State Senator Christopher Belt joined leaders from across the Metro East region to break ground on a new grocery store in Venice as part of the Illinois Grocery Initiative - marking an important milestone in expanding access to fresh, affordable food for local residents. The groundbreaking represents a critical joint effort to revitalize the city, which was made possible through a $2.4 million state grant and private funding.

"We have had some great days here in Venice, first for our bill signing, then to award this grant, and now we are here to put a shovel in the ground," said Belt (D-Swansea). "I don't have a crystal ball, but I think we'll be here again when the grocery store is completed to celebrate what we have accomplished."

In 2023, Belt championed legislation aiming to eliminate the number of food deserts in Illinois' communities - leading to the creation of the Illinois Grocery Initiative and the current construction of a new grocery store in Venice.

The Illinois Grocery Initiative is a multipronged policy designed to mitigate and eliminate food deserts across Illinois. The initiative consists of two key grant programs - the New Stores in Food Deserts Program and the Equipment Upgrades Grant Program. To date, DCEO has awarded a total of $18.1 million statewide, which includes $16.5 million for new grocery stores and $1.6 million for equipment upgrades. The Illinois Grocery Initiative has awarded grants to locations in Champaign, Chicago, Carlinville, Marion, Peoria, Roodhouse and Rockford.

With the nearest grocery store currently miles away, Venice is a food desert - where residents are forced to travel to neighboring cities for fresh, nutrient dense food or rely on discount stores for less sustaining options. Meanwhile, cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have made it increasingly difficult for Illinoisans to access and afford groceries.

"This all started with a vision of rebuilding Illinois," said Belt. "At one point, this city didn't have a single school or grocery store. Now, through that guiding vision of rebuilding our state, they will have both."

Belt is committed to ensuring all families in the 57^th District have proper access to fresh, affordable food.