Western Illinois IIRA Program Helping Bring Grocery Store to Cairo Illinois

After two years of extensive work, the Alexander County city of Cairo, IL, will open a cooperative grocery store this month, thanks to assistance from the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University and its Illinois Cooperative Development Center (ICDC). Through a project, headed by Sean Park, ICDC Manager, the store will hold its grand opening Friday, June 16, in an area that was previously considered to be a “food desert.” The partnership between the IIRA and the city of Cairo began in 2021, after Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton asked Park to reach out to Cairo Mayor... Read More