Foodlink in Rochester, NY is more than an average food bank. Serving communities in central and western New York, 11% of their clients are Latino. Foodlink claims to not only fight hunger, but also build self-sustainability through improved food access. Through a new mobile food market launched in summer 2013 and various farm stands across the region, Foodlink is bringing healthy foods to folks who have limited access to them. Right now, they are looking to work with corner stores in the area as part of the Rochester Healthy Store Initiative. Grant money will be provided to these stores to sell, market and keep fresh produce. The hope is more people will purchase fruits and vegetables if they are easily accessible. Learn more about their food access programs here. Foodlink ...
A hospital in Louisville, KY has a new, healthy neighbor. The Bluegrass Farmers' Market began setting up its stands on Thursdays in June 2013. Next to Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital in south Louisville, the farmers' market has been welcomed by hospital administration, staff, patients, and the surrounding community. Local farmers gather each week to sell fruits, vegetables, homemade baked goods, jellies, jams, and more. At least one of the stands now takes Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Hopefully more will be able to do so soon, allowing everyone regardless of income to enjoy fresh, healthy ...
Much of Florence, AZ is considered a food desert, lacking easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Latinos make up the largest minority group in Florence and feel the realities of having to drive over ten miles one way just to buy fruits and vegetables. Elizabeth Kizer, a public health doctoral student at the University of Arizona, has been researching the food environment in Florence, hoping to find trends and get the community involved in proposing and implementing solutions to get healthier food into the community. She met with interested members in the community to share her findings and brainstorm possible solutions. Kizer found, among other things, that Florence lacked enough local food production to have a farmers' market, restaurants offered poor to no healthy ...
Moved to action by the low-quality foods provided to her brother while in transitional housing, Robin Emmons began growing a few fruits and and vegetables and making weekly deliveries to the house. She soon realized that many communities in Charlotte were facing the same issues as her brother. Lack of access to healthy foods and long commutes to grocery stores were forcing many families to sacrifice eating healthy for whatever is convenient. She decided to take her garden up a notch. On land donated by local farmers and businesses, Emmons grows healthy foods that she later sells at farm stands at affordable prices. She started a non-profit, Sow Much Good, that is dedicated to growing healthy communities in underserved neighborhoods. People are also able to use their food stamps to ...
In Compton, CA, fresh fruits and vegetables are scarce, and residents are feeling it. About 40% of folks living in Compton are obese; many struggle with chronic disease like diabetes. In this predominantly Latino city, corner stores are everywhere and even the "fresh" produce at the local grocery store is often spoiled. City officials are taking a big step in the right direction: opening a farmers' market. In early September, the City opened the Blue Line Farmers' Market, the first in Compton in more than a decade. It sits right at a Metro stop, welcoming riders as they get off. City officials said the weekly Wednesday farmers market is just the first step. The City Council has added health and wellness as one of its "critical priorities" for the coming fiscal year, and in ...
In Lawrence, Hispanics make up the majority of the population with over 70%. Close to 45% of children and about 69 percent of adults are overweight or obese in Lawrence, according to the city's Department of Health. The City has decided to take action to get folks moving towards better health. Mayor William Lantigua, members of the Mayor’s Health Task Force, Board of Health and local agencies implemented a seven page Healthy Active Living Resolution in early September 2013. Included in the resolution are commitments to improve recreational areas of the city to promote physical activity, increase access to affordable, healthy foods, and create a municipal employee wellness program. The health task force and city departments need to submit their proposals to Mayor Lantigua within ...
In the newest effort to combat childhood obesity in United States, the Partnership for America's Health along with First Lady Michelle Obama has launched a new campaign to encourage kids and adults alike to drink more water, Drink Up. The First Lady helped kick-off the campaign in Watertown, Wisconsin, and spoke at a local high school According to the press release, In the next year, supporters will carry the Drink Up logo on nearly 300 million packs of bottle water; more than half a billion bottles of water; 200,000 packages of reusable bottles; and more than 10,000 reusable bottles. Additionally, more than 10,000 outdoor public taps are expected to carry the brand over the next few years. Check out ...
Want to introduce youth to the farmers' market? Check La Semilla's farmers' market activity guide. The handout asks students to walk around the market and asks questions like, "What kinds of foods are available here?" and provides a handful of questions to ask a vendor. Get your youth organization acquainted with all the healthy options they can find at their local farmers' market. Farmers' Market ...
Fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to find in East Palo Alto. Unlike its southern neighbor Palo Alto, East Palo Alto only has one local grocery store and one weekday farmers' market that sometimes only attracts three vendors.Many area farmers skip the market in East Palo Alto because they can make three times as much money in high-income areas and at markets on weekend mornings. A predominantly Latino city, East Palo Alto's one grocery store, Mi Pueblo, caters to Latino cooking, but many residents still travel elsewhere for cheaper groceries. Despite all this, advocates and community organizations in East Palo Alto haven't given up on getting their neighborhood on a healthier track. Before entering the East Palo Alto Community Farmers' Market located in front of the ...
