FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — The City of Fresno is partnering with Cultiva La Salud to remodel a building where food vendors will soon have access to a kitchen and resources to help them succeed.

Genoveva Islas sees big dreams coming true and a sense of community for local grocers in this building in downtown Fresno.

“I see vendors preparing delicious food and I can smell the aroma of the food cooking,” Islas said.

She is the executive director of Cultiva La Salud, an organization that has been providing resources to food retailers for years.

The nonprofit recently secured a property at North Fresno Street and White Avenue to expand its mission.

“This is the perfect location in the city. It’s a perfect location in terms of indoor and outdoor space,” said Islas. “We hope to be able to live here permanently, so in addition to the kitchen on the ground floor, we’ll have an office on the first floor, which doesn’t exist at the moment.”

RELATED TOPICS: New community kitchen opens in downtown Fresno to help mobile food vendors

At the end of June, the city council approved a budget of $700,000 for the project.

Council member Luis Chavez says providing a kitchen for local grocers is long overdue.

“They wanted a kitchen. And that’s what they’re going to get. A state-of-the-art facility where they can actually prepare their food and then sell it to the community and contribute to the local economy,” Chavez said.

RELATED TOPICS: Mobile food vendors could be allowed in Fresno city parks

Several grocers, including Maria De Leon Flores, stopped by to check out the location.

“I am happy and glad that nonprofits and local leaders support us,” says Flores.

Miguel Lopez has been a grocery store clerk for 15 years and says support has increased since the tragic death of a colleague.

In March 2021, Lorenzo Perez was shot while selling groceries in southeast Fresno.

He was the second street vendor to be killed and the sixth to be robbed within a year.

RELATED: ‘He didn’t deserve this death’: Family of murdered street vendor speaks out

Lopez was a good friend of Perez and says his death was not in vain.

“Unfortunately, a tragedy occurred before we received so much support, and I wish Lorenzo was here to see it all,” says Lopez

The City of Fresno launched a program in 2022 to provide free solar-powered security cameras to the city’s grocery stores with the goal of increasing their safety.

Now many are also looking forward to having their own, safe indoor space for cooking and working together.

Islas says there is no exact timeline for when the building’s renovation will be completed.

For the latest news follow Elisa Navarro on Facebook, Þjórsárdalur and Instagram.