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It’s hard to believe that with the lush Florida vegetation and beautiful beaches, many of our Jacksonville neighbors and friends are living in a desert.
A food desert, that is. While exact definitions vary, a food desert is generally recognized as “an area in the United States with limited access to affordable and nutritious food, particularly such an area composed of predominantly lower income neighborhoods and communities.” More narrowly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) labels a food desert as any census district where at least 20 percent of the inhabitants are below the poverty line, and 33 percent live more than one mile from the nearest supermarket (in rural areas, more than 10 miles).
Nearly 73,000 residents in two-dozen neighborhoods in Jacksonville are living in food deserts.
Note the general definition’s wording: “limited access…affordable… nutritious.” Food is available in these deserts, but it’s usually from convenience stores, where healthy choices are limited, if non-existent, and prices are higher. A common trait of food deserts is convenience stores outnumbering grocery stores. And while there are many reasons people develop chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease, food deserts contribute to these conditions by limiting the residents of these areas to processed foods and fast food. In neighborhoods classified as food deserts, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fresh meats, low-fat milk, and other foods that make up a nutritious, healthy diet are lacking.
Now, though, our neighbors and friends are fighting back against the deserts.
In 2011, the Healthy Jacksonville Duval County Food Policy Council was formed as a community-based approach with the mission of examining how the food system is operating, and developing recommendations on how to improve it. The Food Policy Council is an offshoot of the Healthy Jacksonville Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition (HJCOPC), a group of more than 100 parents, health professionals and community organizations that have been working together since 2003 to overcome obstacles to healthy eating.
On Saturday, April 21, the Healthy Jacksonville Duval County Food Policy Council will convene its inaugural Duval County Food Summit. The Summit, designed to express the Council’s mission through a community conversation, will explore local food system operations and invite and develop recommendations. The Summit will cover food policies, legislation, childhood nutrition and eating healthy on a budget. Attendees will include key players within Duval County's food system, as well as child health and nutrition experts.
It is important that everyone in Jacksonville recognize that access to fresh and affordable food is a vital component to building a healthy and thriving community. Participation in events such as the Duval County Food Summit is the first step in a community-based effort to ensure a quality food system and better health for all people throughout Duval County.
The Healthy Jacksonville Duval County Food Policy Council inaugural Duval County Food Summit will be held on Saturday, April 21 at the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership, 4019 Boulevard Center Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32207, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information, please call (904) 253-2520.
Editorial by Richard Villadoniga
Richard Villadóniga is a middle school teacher in St. Johns County, Florida. He is a past Teacher of the Year award winner and has taught in public schools for over twelve years. He was awarded the Geoffrey Roberts Award for 2007 to fund the Endangered Foods Tour project.
In the past, he has also received two Fulbright fellowships to study in Japan and South Africa. He received a BA in Geography from The George Washington University and a Master’s Degree in City Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
He is the founder of Slow Food First Coast and serves on the Executive Committee of the Jacksonville Food Policy Council. He is currently working toward establishing school and community gardens in North Florida, increasing the availability of fresh and healthy foods in local communities, and making cities in the region more friendly toward local urban agriculture initiatives. He is the recipient of a grant (“Building a Better North Florida Through School and Community Gardens”) funded through the Embrace a Healthy Florida Initiative, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Foundation.
His interests include traveling, cooking, and spending time in the great outdoors. He is a contributing food and travel writer for the St. Augustine Record. His articles have also been featured in Saveur, Water's Edge Magazine, Palm Coast Lifestyles, Farmers' Markets Today, the Bon Appetit Editors Blog, and Fiery-Foods.com.
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Garden guy
April 19, 2012, 07:05:48 AMIs there no regulations that could force convienent store to carry a minimum of fresh food to use the term "food store". Before the corporate takeover of local food marts fresh food used to be availalbe. My mom says way back every little store carried at least some veg.
Garden guy
April 19, 2012, 07:08:40 AMIs there no way of connecting local gardeners with local "convienent" stores to supply them with local veg.
createaruckus
April 19, 2012, 11:55:32 AMThat's a great question Garden Guy. I am member of the Healthy Jacksonville Duval County Food Policy Council and to my knowledge there is there is no way to force convenience stores to carry fresh foods in their establishments. It really boils down to supply and demand as far as determining what the stores will carry.
I like your suggestion of connecting local gardeners to those stores to help supply fresh produce. I'm curious to hear your thoughts about how we can bridge those relationships.
avs
April 19, 2012, 12:14:39 PMGreat editorial Richard! You do great things and we love working with you on this deep problem that exists in Duval County. More local politicians need to take on this cause
Amanda
Purplebike
April 19, 2012, 02:40:43 PMNice editorial, the event looks very interesting! If I weren't already signed up to volunteer at another event that day, I would consider going. I'll look forward to reading about what all transpired during the event.
Garden guy
April 20, 2012, 07:45:59 AMRuckus....arent there regulations on what they can and cannot sell? They cant sell beer wit no paperwork. The the vendors that supply them may be the people to talk with. Any tax breaks could be removed for those that dont carry fresh goods. These stores make millions from our community..shouldnt we demand some kind of standard? We all know some of that cash leaves not only the city but the country. We allow them to sell everything to run an illegal drug. Shouldnt we ask for better?
Garden guy
April 20, 2012, 07:55:54 AMAs far as connecting gardeners with stores..a little social engineering and a bunch of signs at every feed store in the area. I think convenient stores just don't want to deal with it and fresh foods age. But if the Gate can offer banana and apple..they can also offer broccoli and cucumbers. I wonder how many city tax breaks these stores get and we allow them to offer 90% of there coolers if for alcohol.
Richard V
April 25, 2012, 11:26:52 AMThanks for your interest in these issues, Garden Guy. We are currently working to make Jax a more urban agriculture-friendly city. Our initiatives include not only eliminating food deserts, but allowing for hens in certain residential areas and creating economic incentives to foster the creation of a regional food hub. As you can imagine, getting everyone involved (politicians, citizens, businesses, DCSD, Health Department, Planning Department, churches, non-profits, etc) to work together to transform our city is a challenging task and that's why we created the Duval County Food Policy Council. We would love to have you get on board and bring your concerns and passions to the table!