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County-backed Healthy Food Financing Initiative recommends three grants to expand local grocery access
Summary
UT Health and county staff recommended three recipients for 2025 Healthy Food Financing Initiative awards to support small groceries, a community market and a food-hub retrofit in high-need areas; commissioners asked staff to return with a formal action item.
County staff and UT Health presented May 12 recommendations for three awards under the county’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI), a program launched in 2019 to support local food retail and healthy food access in underserved El Paso County neighborhoods.
Gabriela Gallegos, presenting for UT Health, said the program is a one-time capital infusion aimed at local retail and food-access projects. She noted guardrails used to evaluate applicants: grants generally do not exceed $150,000, projects must benefit low- and moderate-income households, and applicants must show owner equity (commonly 30–50 percent) and a viable business plan.
The three projects recommended for 2025 funding are: Canal Tio Fruits & Veggies (Canutillo) — a new 1,000-square-foot grocery to be built on an applicant-owned parcel; Sun City Super (Central El Paso) — a renovation/retail relocation on San Marcial by an operator with prior retail experience; and Wonder Fruit Market / Tariba Farming (Socorro) — a pomegranate farm project that would add a covered market area and retrofit an existing structure into a food-hub sanitization and packing space. Two of the recommendations seek the program’s $150,000 maximum; the Socorro applicant sought just under $100,000.
Gallegos said PeopleFund, the community development financial institution partner, performed the financial reviews and recommended the projects for grant support; the Small Business Development Center provides technical-assistance support to applicants.
Action: The item was presented for recommendation and the court did not take final action; commissioners directed staff to return with a formal agenda item for approval of the recommended awards.
What’s next: Economic development staff will return with a formal grant award item and related documents for commissioners to vote. Awardees will enter monitoring and reporting obligations if approved.
