Community organizations are getting nearly $700,000 in grant money to help increase healthy food access in the Chicago area.

Fifteen farms and food businesses in the metro area received grants ranging from $40,000 to $80,000 each from the Metro Chicago Good Food Purchasing Initiative Community Fund.

The goal is to advance equity in the local food system by providing funds to underserved farmers and food businesses within 250 miles of Chicago. The program is intended to expand healthy food access while building economies and promoting sustainable and fair labor practices.

The farms and businesses will also receive technical assistance to support an increased availability of local produce and other healthy food products. The farmers and food businesses will also work toward selling to health care systems, schools, senior living centers, and other large public and private institutions — as well as food pantries and other community meal sites.

Suburban Cook County received $300,000 in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to benefit seven of the grant recipients.

The grant recipients include:

• Otter Oaks Farm, Woodstock
• Laos To Your House Inc., East Garfield Park, Chicago Sugar Arts Workshop Ltd., d/b/a Cakewalk Chicago, Beverly, Chicago
  ChiFresh Kitchen, Chatham, Chicago  
• Evanston Grows, Evanston  
• Food Hero, Little Village, Chicago  
• Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, Little Village, Chicago
• Wood St. Collective, West Englewood, Chicago  
• Cornerstone Community Development Corporation, Ford Heights
• Hope Center, Blue Island 
• Mother Carr's Farm, Lynwood
• Ditto Foods LLC, Mokena  
• Roots & Vine Food Hub, Park Forest  
• Real Foods Collective, Maywood  
• Fresher Together, Sauk Village