Five Monterey County stores receive Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program Projects

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV)- Five Monterey County grocery stores received Health Refrigeration grants to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for low-income families.

Three of those stores that received grants are located in Seaside and two of them are located in Salinas.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture announced $9 million in funding to provide healthier food options for local markets to sell. Soon local markets like La Corona in Salinas will receive a fridge with fresh fruit.

The goal is to offer healthy food options to people in low income or areas where access to food is low.

Maria Alvarez who is the owner of La Corona Market and says she's planning where to put the new refrigerator in her shop.

"Well here in this store in particular a lot of people come who work in the fields," Alvarez said. "You see we come from different parts of the world and there are a lot of Mexican and Central American People and we like fresh fruit very much,"

A few minutes away is Kimmies Cork N Botlle market where Claudia Bucio has been working for 13 years.

Bucio said the store is expected to receive over a $7,000 grant from the State Department of Food and Agriculture.

"Many people live here where they come quickly to get their milk, eggs or cheese to eat or even the children come to get their yogurt because they want something healthy to take to school," said Bucio.

Just like at La Corona, many fieldworkers come to the store in search of healthy options.

"Many times the people who work in the fields, they cannot go to get their products, to make their lunch, because they leave so tired that sometimes it is very difficult to go to the farthest store." Bucio said. "So they look for stores closer to find something to cook something healthy."

According to the CDFA, the cost for this project costs over $45 million and will help out 103 businesses, organizations, and programs throughout the state.