SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Gov. JB Pritzker joined leaders Wednesday to break ground on a new grocery store in Venice, Illinois, as part of the Illinois Grocery Initiative.

The groundbreaking ceremony marked an important milestone in expanding access to fresh and affordable food for local residents.

"The tariffs imposed by the Trump administration along with the devastating cuts that they have now imposed on the SNAP program have made this issue significantly worse and significantly more urgent and at a time where families are already struggling," Pritzker said.

The initiative launched in 2023 and is designed to eliminate food deserts across the state. IGI consists of two key grant programs—the Food Deserts Grant and the Equipment Upgrades Grant Program.

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