Building Healthy Communities

Project Title

Salt City Market

Grant Amount

$160,000

Priority Area

Building Healthy Communities

Date Awarded

January 3, 2020

Region

Central NY

Status

Closed

Website

https://www.allynfoundation.org/

SEE GRANT OUTCOMES

The Near Westside, Southside, and Downtown Syracuse neighborhoods have the highest number of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients in Syracuse and the least access to a full-service grocery store.

To create more easily accessible opportunities for healthy eating, Syracuse Urban Partnership (SYRUP) spearheaded the construction of the Salt City Market, which is within walking distance for residents of these communities. Opened in January 2021, the Salt City Market—a food hall and a full-service market—spans 24,000 square feet on the first floor of a new 4-story building that also features 26 mixed-income apartments and commercial office space for nonprofits. As the first downtown Syracuse grocery store in more than 40 years, the Salt City Market provides a home to 11 food entrepreneurs, offering a community teaching kitchen, and providing access to fresh produce and groceries. In 2020, NYHealth awarded SYRUP a grant to provide marketing and technical assistance in support of Salt City Market’s design and launch.

Under this grant, SYRUP offered marketing and technical assistance to the Syracuse Cooperative Market Co-op (which operates the grocery store) and the food entrepreneurs. The market was designed with the customers in mind: it featured a community kitchen and public cooking and nutrition classes; accepted SNAP and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and provided economic opportunities for local residents interested in starting their own food business. The Co-op also worked with NYHealth grantee Field & Fork Network to provide Double Up Food Bucks nutrition incentives to increase the amount of fresh produce purchased with SNAP dollars. SYRUP also advised local food entrepreneurs with menu development, food costing, food safety, and marketing and design services to develop their own brands. In addition, it also provided marketing and design services for the Salt City Market as a whole to make residents feel welcome.