By C’Morra Cuffie
Food deserts are urban areas where people don't have access to fresh and healthy foods. There are corner stores that only provide junk food and certain high priced fruits, but there aren't any nearby grocery stores. Food deserts happen when grocery stores shut down, and put grocery stores further from urban centers, and put them in areas where people have cars. The article What Are Food Deserts? says, “Access to transportation: For example, two neighbors might each live in a food desert. But while one neighbor has a car, the other relies on public transportation. The neighbor who is able to drive will likely have more options when it comes to groceries than the other person.” Food deserts also may be due to having a low income. The article, Food deserts: Definition, effects and solutions states, “The USDA identified around 6,500 food deserts between 2000 and 2006. Experts estimate that around 23.5 million people in the U.S. live in low-income areas.” According to Rochester city councilman Dr. Gruber, “there are no gaps, they are motivated by their income. It doesn't fall on one person only, class lines by the profit they have. The poorer you are the more likely you are to be unhealthy.” If a single parent only has $20 to spend, their first instinct is to go to a fast food place such as McDonalds, Wendy’s, Burger King, and other fast food. Only because they don't have enough money and they don't have a nearby grocery store to stretch out the $20, so they do what they have to do to feed their children, healthily or not. Dr. Gruber said one way to improve these food deserts is for the city food policy council is a group of people in the community to figure out how to help invest in new entrepreneurs at the public market so they can have more than one day a week to build their business. This is an important issue to explore because the health of our communities relies on access to fresh, healthy food options.
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