The City of Philadelphia on Dec. 3 announced $600,000 in emergency grants to support small food retailers, corner stores and grocers that were affected by the federal government shutdown and disruptions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The new program, part of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s One Philly (SNAP) Support Plan, is funded by the Department of Commerce and administered by the Merchants Fund. It will provide emergency financial relief to help small neighborhood grocers keep their doors open, employees paid, and shelves stocked, the city said in a news release.

“Small food retailers are the lifelines of our neighborhoods — places where families shop, gather, and rely on for essentials,” said Karen Fegley, the acting commerce director.

Grants will be targeted to locally owned corner stores, bodegas, and small grocers located in neighborhoods most affected by SNAP benefit disruptions. The funds will help offset immediate revenue losses due to decreased customer spending, allowing businesses to continue providing food while also covering their own operational expenses.

“Philadelphia’s corner stores and small grocers are more than businesses — they’re anchors of community life and essential partners in food security,” said Jill Fink, executive director of the Merchants Fund, founded in 1854 to assist small businesses.

The $600,000 in grant money includes $100,000 from the Barra Foundation, founded in 1963 by the late Robert L. McNeil, Jr., former chairman of McNeil Laboratories. Eligible businesses can apply through Dec. 31 at the Merchants Fund website, merchantsfund.org. Priority will be given to small, locally owned retailers operating in low-income neighborhoods.