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Maryland

State & Local Policy Efforts

Are you working on a local or state policy effort in this state? Let us know at [email protected] or visit the Contact Us page to add to the Portal.

We encourage you to check out the following resources to learn more about or get involved with food access issues in your state:

For a full understanding of Healthy Food Financing Initiatives from advocacy to implementation, see The Food Trust’s Healthy Food Financing Handbook.

Federal Policy Efforts (State-specific)

Microenterprise Council of Maryland

The Microenterprise Council of Maryland (MCM) will expand Big City Farms (BCF), an urban farm in Baltimore, Maryland that produces certified organic produce to area restaurants and households, specializing in field-to-table production. BCF currently has three farms and will use HFFI funds to open 20 more farms throughout the Baltimore area. BCF and MCM have a range of community partnerships that will support employee recruitment and support new farm opportunities, which will result in 48 full-time jobs. This project will also increase access to healthy, organic food in Baltimore through a low-cost, high-yield production of USDA certified organic products in an inner-city environment. Jobs created by this project will be targeted to women, minorities, ex-offenders, and noncustodial parents. 

Source of money: HFFI CED Program

​​​​​​​Reinvestment Fund

In Baltimore, Reinvestment Fund used HFFI funding to help finance Apples & Oranges Fresh Market and the Howard Park Supermarket. Apples & Oranges Supermarket was a minority-owned market in an East Baltimore neighborhood with an unmet grocery demand of $26.4 million. Apples & Oranges created four full-time and 11 part-time jobs, and it included meeting space for nutrition and health education programs for the community. Reinvestment Fund worked with the Opportunity Finance Network and Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD) to bring a 67,000-square-foot, full-service ShopRite supermarket to Baltimore's Howard Park community. The Howard Park ShopRite provides access to fresh foods and created 250 full- and part-time jobs, many of which are filled by neighborhood residents. You can find more information here. 

Source of money: HFFI CED Program and HFFI CDFI-Financial Assistance Program

Note: Reinvestment Fund is a CDFI headquartered in Pennsylvania that finances projects in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

LifeStyles of Maryland, Inc.

LifeStyles of Maryland, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 that seeks to provide affordable, accessible services, activities and goods to support and encourage individuals, families, and community development. Lifestyles is using HFFI financing to create the Mobile Food Markets of Southern Maryland, an innovative food retail venture that will eliminate three food deserts in rural Southern Maryland. Focusing on an area where the average distance to a grocery store is 7-20 miles, Lifestyles will sell fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy products, breads and cereals. This project will also include a food delivery service for disabled and elderly populations who cannot access the Mobile Markets. Not only will the Mobile Markets address food insecurity in Southern Maryland, but will also provide access to farm fresh food choices and a new genre of food shopping to average consumers. This project will create 24 new full-time jobs for TANF and low-income individuals. You can find more information here.

Source of money: HFFI CED Program

Enterprise Community Loan Fund

Enterprise’s mission is to create opportunity for low- and moderate-income people through affordable housing in diverse, thriving communities. They are driven by their mission, fueled by business discipline and sustained by donors and investors. Since 1982, Enterprise has worked with partners in communities nationwide. One of America’s original social enterprises, Enterprise Community Loan Fund brings together the people and resources to create affordable housing in strong neighborhoods. Within Enterprise are entities that lend funds, finance development and manage and build affordable housing. To date, Enterprise has invested $18.6 billion, helped create nearly 340,000 homes and touched millions of lives. Enterprise Community Loan Fund is using their HFFI financing to expand healthy food access and continue their mission of creating opportunity. You can find more information here.

Source of money: HFFI CDFI-Financial Assistance Program

​​​​​Opportunity Finance Network

In Baltimore, Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is working with TRF and Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD) to support the construction of a 67,000-square-foot, full-service ShopRite supermarket in the Howard Park community. The Howard Park ShopRite will provide access to fresh foods and create 250 full- and part-time jobs, many of which will be filled by neighborhood residents. OFN also uses HFFI financing to provide capital to CDFIs that are ramping up their capacity to address food access issues but are not prepared to secure HFFI awards. OFN provides senior participation loans, long-term loans, and participation loans for healthy food projects. You can find more information here.

Source of money: HFFI CDFI-Financial Assistance Program

Note: Opportunity Finance Network is a CDFI headquartered in Pennsylvania that finances projects in Maryland.