Hunger and Food Security

This Saturday is "Make a Difference Day" in Public Allies. So, the three teams (Bridgeport, Hartford, and New Haven) are banding together to complete service projects within the city of New Haven. We are being broken off into groups and sent to different sites, but the overall theme is regarding hunger and food security.

For the most part, hunger and food security in the US refers to the ability of a family or individual to obtain sufficient food for their household. Some households find themselves skipping meals, or skimping on quality and/or quantity. This can lead to malnutrition, mental health issues, and surprisingly, it is also linked with obesity.

Obesity, you say?

Yes, obesity. Families trying to stretch every last dollar often buy fast food as a way to fill up, putting nutrition-empty starches and sugars into their bodies, which leave them hungry soon after due to the high glycemic index of these foods. On top of fast food being so easy and cheap, the USDA estimates that 23.5 million people, including 6.5 million children, live in low-income areas where a supermarket is located more than a mile away. 11.5 million of those 23.5 million live at or below 200 percent of the poverty line. Of the children living in poverty, 44.8 percent are obese, compared to the 31.7 percent of the general population. Low-income zip codes have 25 percent fewer supermarkets than middle-income zip codes. These occurrences are called "food deserts." People living in food deserts often have less access to vehicles, limiting their food choices.

So, just simply providing information about nutrition and health is not enough. Low-income families and individuals need to have access to healthier foods, and not just fast food places and convenience stores.The Obama administration has a joint intiative coming with the Treasury, USDA, and HHS to make available more than $400 million "in financial and technical assistance to community development financial institutions, other nonprofits, and businesses with sound strategies for addressing the healthy food needs of communities."

This will address school lunches, community gardens, farmers markets, SNAP, and grocery store chains.

Also, check out these links:


Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative
Many farmers' markets now accept SNAP!
If Urban Farms Can't Feed Us, What Are They Good For?
Food Trucks: A Solution to Overcoming Food Deserts?
Carrot Vending Machines in Schools! Surprise Success!

There is help on the way. :)

I'm super excited because my group is charged with the task of putting a community garden to bed for the winter, and to build a tool shed. I love stuff like this. I once built a septic tank (out of concrete blocks, re bar, and wet cement) in Costa Rica with Habitat for Humanity, and I can't even tell you how accomplished I felt afterward. Not to mention I love gardening, so I am excited about working in the garden. I hope it's not a brumal day like today was, though!