SCHUMER: BON APPÉTIT, ITHACA! SENATOR ANNOUNCES $109,000 FOR FRIENDS OF THE ITHACA FARMERS MARKET FOR DEVELOPMENT OF NEW SHARED-USE COMMERCIAL KITCHEN FOR USE BY SMALL FOOD[...]

Shared Kitchen Ithaca Project Will Build New Commercial Kitchen To Support Food Entrepreneurs In Tompkins County, Including Ithaca Farmers Market Vendors, And Provide Technical Business Assistance To Its Members

Funding Comes From Appalachian Regional Commission - Which Supports Economic Development In Southern Tier - That Schumer Secured A Historic Increase In Funding For In Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law

Schumer: Fed $$ Will Help Grow New Shared Kitchen For Ithaca's Food Entrepreneurs Including Beloved Farmers Market Food Vendors

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today announced $109,255 in federal funding for Friends of the Ithaca Farmers Market to build a new shared commercial use kitchen for use by small food entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses and sell at places like the Ithaca Farmers Market . With this grant, the project plans to help nearly 20 vendors, giving them access to equipment and technical expertise they would not otherwise be able to afford.

"The gorges Ithaca Farmers Market along the scenic Cayuga Lake is a staple in Tompkins County, a food mecca for food enthusiasts and small businesses. But too few small food entrepreneurs have the resources to scale their operations to the level they aspire. I'm proud to deliver $109,255 in federal funding to Friends of the Ithaca Farmers Market to build a shared-use commercial kitchen so new food vendors have the resources they need to develop and sell their products and grow their businesses," said Senator Schumer. "I boosted funding for the Appalachian Region Commission in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law I led to passage in the Senate with investments like this in mind to support the success and growth of Upstate NY's small businesses. I'm proud that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law is continuing to deliver for Ithaca and the Southern Tier."

The Friends of the Ithaca Farmers Market's Shared Kitchen-Ithaca project will create a licensed shared-use commercial kitchen to support increased demand from food product businesses looking to sell at places like the Ithaca Farmers Market. The shared kitchen will have equipment and space for small food businesses. Previous feasibility studies have shown that building an affordable commercial kitchen space will support the growth of local food entrepreneurs. The project also aims to provide technical business assistance to food entrepreneurs and organize networking events to strengthen business-to-business connections among entrepreneurs, suppliers, and buyers. The federal dollars will be matched $85,149 from individual donors in the community as well as $25,000 from the Park Foundation and $17,000 from the City of Ithaca. The location for the shared-use kitchen will be at 700 W. Buffalo St. at the site of the former Greenstar Central Kitchen in Ithaca.

"The City of Ithaca is grateful for the support for the Shared Kitchen Ithaca project from Leader Schumer, New York Department of State, ST8 and the Appalachian Regional Commission," said Robert Cantelmo, Mayor of Ithaca. "The City is proud to have played a direct role in bringing this transformation project to fruition through the creative leadership of Deputy Director for Economic Development Tom Knipe, as well as a small City grant to support start-up costs and a grant from the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) to provide reduced kitchen rent to low-to-moderate income microenterprises. Food manufacturing has emerged as a growth sector for Ithaca and Tompkins County over the past several years and has one of the highest rates of women and minority business owners and the lowest thresholds to entry. As a result, in addition to creating more successful local food businesses, jobs, and economic activity by plugging a gap in the local food economy, this project holds promise to create wealth for diverse business owners, help address food insecurity, and shepherd a renaissance of specialty foods for Ithaca and the broader Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions."

"The shared commercial kitchen will significantly enhance the food ecosystem in the region and boost the prospects of numerous entrepreneurs who would otherwise have no access to the kind of resources that we will provide," said Chuck Schwerin, Shared Kitchen Ithaca Board of Directors. "Among the grants we got was a generous one from the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency to defray 50% of the rent for businesses that could not otherwise afford the facility. We are grateful, as well, for a $150,000 grant from the Tompkins County Development Corporation to support our initial startup and equipment costs. We are working, as well, with food insecurity groups in the community to facilitate the processing and distribution of food in the community for those in need."

The funding comes from the Appalachian Regional Commission, which Schumer boosted funding for in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law he led to passage in the Senate by $1 billion over 5 years, increasing the budget to $200 million per year through 2026. The Appalachian Regional Commission provides support for economic development, infrastructure, and workforce development programs to improve the quality of life and create new business growth and job opportunities across the Southern Tier.

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