A city-funded program to get healthier foods into Wichita corner stores is facing a major setback after the city rejected all the bids from applicants to run the program.
The program, called the Healthy Corner Store Initiative, would have distributed funding and resources for smaller corner stores in Wichita to be able to stock fresh produce and other healthy foods.
But all the applicants received notices recently that their bids were rejected and that the city will revise its original proposal.
“The original [request for proposal] required proposers to administer grant funding, distribute healthy food at scale, educate community partners, track performance metrics, and provide periodic reports. It is important that potential partners meet the full requirements of the RFP,” the city said in a statement.
The goal of the program was to address food deserts in the city and county, mainly by providing refrigerators and freezers to stores.
A recent survey showed that almost 15 percent of Sedgwick County residents are food insecure.
“As we talked about really looking to pay for freezers and refrigerators, my concern this whole time has been, ‘Well, where does the food come from?’ ” City Council member Brandon Johnson said.
The winning proposal was originally slated to be voted on by the City Council at its Oct. 3 meeting, but city staff said that won’t happen now.
When the council approved the program, the city said it wanted to have it fully implemented by 20-24, before the expiration of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The city said in a statement it will start over on the proposal, but doesn’t have a timeline on when it will be available.
“Staff is collaborating with consultants New Venture Advisors, The Food Trust, and stakeholders to revise the RFP and design a competitive bid process that will increase access to healthy foods and position potential partners for success.”
Mr. MC’s Market, which was formerly P&P Bait & Seed in north Wichita, said it had applied for the program, but was rejected because of its lack of experience with allocating funds.
“In addition to becoming certified as a City of Wichita Emerging Business Enterprise and a State of Kansas Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, The Market had commitments from several farmers, other corner store owners, and Hunter Health Clinic to participate and support his efforts prior to submitting his proposal,” the market said in a release.
Johnson said he’s hopeful that staff will find a way with the revised proposal to get healthy foods into the city, especially the area he represents in northeast Wichita that has less access to healthy foods.
But he also said that the city should look at a different model at getting healthy food to disadvantaged areas, such as what Common Ground Producers and Growers is doing.
“[Common Ground owner Donna Pearson McClish] pulls up, those tables come out, produce is laid out, there's a price there, you come up, you can purchase produce, you get to select it yourself, it's not just handed to you,” Johnson said. “And then whatever's left after that, they've loaded back up and they go to their next stop, and she comes by regularly.”
