Jim Merritt Announces Plans To End Food Insecurity

Republican mayoral candidate Jim Merritt announced Thursday his plans to end food insecurity in Indianapolis.

Merritt’s four initiatives are for food bodegas — markets that salvage food that would be thrown away — food rescue programs in more schools, a food security summit and urban gardens at all schools.

“As mayor, all charter schools will have gardens, and we will work for all IPS schools and all school corporations in Marion county to have food gardens so kids can understand and consume fresh vegetables,” Merritt says.

He says he has reached out to restaurateur Kimbal Musk to talk about partnering with his Big Green initiative for the gardens.

Merritt says food bodegas will be city-wide and are easily managed. 

“The margins on food are so slight,” Merritt says. “That’s why with bodegas, with recaptured food, and with their use of slimmer margins, can be a benefit with the low overhead and the smaller facility that bodega offers.”

Merritt says these projects could be funded through tax increment financing.