Elizabeth Abunaw, owner and operator of Forty Acres Fresh Market, is improving access to affordable, fresh and healthy foods in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side — with help from the American Heart Association and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.
Austin’s nearest grocery store is at least a mile away, and many of its roughly 98,000 residents, some of whom are low-income and elderly, have difficulty getting there to buy fresh foods. Forty Acres operates pop-up markets and fruit stands to offer more convenient and healthier options.
With a grant from AHA’s Social Impact Fund, Abunaw is growing her business by expanding her home delivery services and hiring community residents returning from prison. BCBSIL invests in AHA's Social Impact Fund to improve health outcomes for the people of Chicago.