A network of food systems serving north-central Massachusetts is celebrating the recent announcement that the organization received a federal grant to develop a grocery store in Winchendon to replace the IGA supermarket. which closed in 2017.

Ayn Neagle, executive director of Places of cultureis “super excited” about the $147,984 federal grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Southern New England as part of its Healthy Foods Funding Initiative. The money will be used to create a business plan and operating model for the proposed store.

“The work of our food system started when we lost our grocery store,” Neagle said Wednesday while attending a rally at the State House in Boston. advocate for more funding for the state’s health incentive program. The state program reimburses purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables made at farm stands and farmers’ markets by residents using SNAP benefit cards.

“We did some preliminary investigative work to determine what type of store would operate in the community,” Neagle said.

Now it’s a matter of creating a working model for the store. The project will create a sustainable, equity-based store model, partnering with local farmers to ensure a constant flow of farm-fresh produce.

In announcing the funding, Scott Soares, state director of the Department of Agriculture’s Southern New England Branch, recognized the importance of community access to fresh produce.

“Affordable access to healthy food is a right that rural Americans should not have to compromise on,” Soares said. “USDA Rural Development is proud to work with local farms and food retailers throughout southern New England to ensure nutritious food continues to remain an accessible and affordable option.

The grant was one of two awarded to Massachusetts food network organizations; the other grant, totaling $99,000, was awarded to the Nourish Holyoke Initiative to create a new food retail location in that city.

In Winchendon, two local businesses have already committed to the project: Farming is Life and Not Just Produced, Neagle said.

Agriculture is life is a 64-acre farm dedicated to regenerative farming methods and a diverse selection of heirloom and other crops that are culturally relevant to local people. The farm’s mission, according to its website, is to provide nourishing, sustainably grown and naturally grown produce.

Not just product is a specialty grocer that offers fresh, local produce and nutritious meals on its shelves.

This article was originally published on Telegram & Gazette: Organization Secures Federal Grant for New Grocery Store in Winchendon