New Butcher Apprenticeship at Forty Acres Fresh Market Aims to Grow Local Talent
The grocery store has partnered with Westside Health Authority on the 12-month opportunity for residents in the 60651, 60639, and 60644 zip codes
By STAFF The Culture
Anew paid apprenticeship program in Austin aims to help one neighborhood resident carve out a lasting career in the food industry.
Westside Health Authority and Forty Acres Fresh Market have partnered to launch The Butcher’s Path Workforce Apprenticeship Program. This year-long, full-time opportunity will train one participant to become a skilled butcher.
The 12-month program includes hands-on experience at Forty Acres Fresh Market, 5713 W. Chicago Ave., where the apprentice will learn to cut and process meat, poultry, and seafood; operate meat-processing equipment; and make products such as sausages and burgers. The apprentice will also gain customer service experience and learn to maintain food safety standards.
“This is more than workforce training—it’s a chance to be part of a story of reclaiming health, wealth, and opportunity
in Austin,” the flyer for the program states. Applicants must be at least 18, legally eligible to work in the U.S., and live in one of the Austin ZIP codes 60651, 60639, or 60644. Strong work ethic, interest in butchery, and a willingness to learn are key qualifications. The position requires 32 to 40 hours a week, including some weekends and holidays.
Interested candidates should send a résumé and cover letter to jgreen@healthauthority.org, explaining their interest in the apprenticeship and what the opportunity would mean for them.
The partnership between Forty Acres and Westside Health Authority builds on a broader effort to strengthen Austin’s economy through locally rooted job creation. Forty Acres Fresh Market opened in September inside a renovated former Salvation Army building. The Westside Health Authority is a development partner with Forty Acres.
Founder Liz Abunaw launched the store after years of operating pop-up produce markets and produce delivery services. Forty Acres was financed through public and philanthropic funding and designed to fill a long-standing grocery gap on the West Side.
In addition to offering fresh produce, dry goods, and hot meals, the store features a service butcher counter, a rapidly vanishing feature in the grocery industry. The new apprenticeship aims to ensure that skilled jobs created by the store stay within the community.
New $100,000 “Catalyst Grant” Opens for Established Cook County Businesses
Cook County has launched a new grant program called the Catalyst Grant, designed to help growing, established businesses take their operations to the next level. This is not for startups or very small firms— but for businesses that already have proven revenue and want to scale, county officials explained.
What is the Catalyst Grant?
• Up to 88 Cook County businesses will be selected.
• Each winner will receive $100,000 in funding.
• The purpose: to support growth via hiring or training employees, upgrading facilities, buying equipment, or expanding operations.
Whose Eligible?
• Be located in Cook County (suburbs or within the city)
• Be a for-profit business
• Have annual revenues between $500,000 and $10 million in both 2023 and 2024
• Show growth from 2023 to 2024, in profit and in fulltime employee count
• Operate in one of these industries: Construction, Finance & Insurance, Information Technology / Tech, Manufacturing, Professional Services, Real Estate
How to Apply
• Visit the Catalyst Grant page on the Cook County Small Business Source website to access the application link.
• Prepare all required documents before you start (the application must be submitted in one session—no edits later).
• Valid photo ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.)
• 2023 and 2024 federal tax returns (with all supporting schedules)
• IRS Form 941 for Q4 2023 and Q4 2024
• Illinois proof of good standing from the Secretary of State
• Complete and submit the online application before 5 p.m. CST Oct. 31.
• After review, applicants will be notified by March 2026 if selected.
How to Use the Funds
• Hiring or training staff
• Improving your facility or upgrading equipment
• Expanding operations
• The funds must be used for new investments after the award; you cannot use them to reimburse for past costs.
• If your business leases space and wants to improve the facility, the lease must extend at least one year beyond the award, and your landlord must agree.
The produce area at Forty Acres Fresh Market.. | KENN COOK JR.