City of Rochester Receives $50,000 National Award for Healthy, Sustainable Food Access Initiative

February 5, 2026 - ROCHESTER, Minn. - The City of Rochester has received a $50,000 Healthy and Sustainable Communities Award through a national partnership led by the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), the American Beverage Association, and the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America.

Rochester is one of nine cities nationwide selected in 2026 to receive funding for innovative initiatives that promote healthier lifestyles and advance environmental sustainability.

The award supports Move to the Market: Incentivizing Health, Equity, and Local Foods, an initiative designed to improve food access for low-income and immigrant communities while supporting local farmers and encouraging physical activity.

Through the program, food vouchers will be distributed to income-eligible families for use at The Village Farmers Market. Voucher values will increase when participants walk, bike, or otherwise physically move to the market. The initiative also includes purchasing excess produce from farmers for redistribution to food-insecure households.

"This investment supports practical, community-based solutions that improve access to healthy food while strengthening local agriculture," said Mayor Kim Norton. "Move to the Market helps reduce barriers for families, support local farmers, and connect food access with active, healthy living."

"Move to the Market brings together movement, nutrition, and cultural connection in a way that truly meets people where they are," said Amanda Nigon-Crowley, executive director of The Village Agriculture Cooperative. "By linking physical activity directly to food access and connecting families with culturally meaningful produce from local farmers, this program helps turn healthy choices into everyday habits. We are honored to partner with the City of Rochester and Mayor Norton to help make our community a healthier place to live."

The awards were announced during the 94th Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C., where mayors from across the nation gathered to highlight local efforts focused on health, equity, and sustainability.