MADISON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Hope. That's what Greenville's new City Center is giving to the community by turning a food desert into fertile ground.
"One word is desolation," said Lucille Day, an 86 year resident of Greenville.
For many of the people in Greenville, that's the feeling of not having a grocery store and no immediate access to fresh vegetables, fruit and meat.
All that is about to change thanks to nearly $2 million in federal grants the city received including the Rural Infrastructure Fund.
"It is so important for this to get funded annually," said Diane Scholz, who works with rural and economic development at FSU. "There are 32 rural counties and within those counties there are smaller counties in Florida that need that help."
With that money, Greenville is building a new City Center that includes a senior/youth center and a desperately needed grocery store.
"We are in phase one of the senior/youth center with completion to be done by the 28th of February and we are looking to break ground on the grocery store in April," said Edward Deen, the town manager of Greenville.
Dean says the grocery store should be open by the end of 2020, which the people who live there say is literally a lifesaver.
"Now we are going to have fresh fruit and fresh vegetables -- hallelujah!" Day exclaimed.
Greenville's town manager says it is the poorest city in Florida.
The closest grocery store is a half hour away in Madison or an hour away in Tallahassee and many of the people who live in Greenville don't have transportation.
