Social Equity:
FOOD DESERTS
What is a Food Desert?
A food desert is a rural area in which food access is limited. Most common in low-income communities, food deserts prevent people from having a reliable, healthy food source.
The Statistics
23.5 million people are affected by food deserts and almost half of them live in low-income communities. 2.2% of the US population lives in rural areas with little to no access to supermarkets.
The Effects of Food Deserts
Those who live in food deserts get food from unhealthy restaurants where the food is cheaper. These people have no other options and as a result are more likely to encounter health problems later in life. They can't afford the medical help need which eventually leads to early deaths. Obesity is another effect of living in a food desert because the food they can access is the food that isn't good for them.
Things You Can do to Help
There are certain things we can all do to help prevent food deserts. Things like establishing community gardens for people in food deserts can really help them. Also, you can try to get your local government to establish transportation so access to healthy food is easier and more convenient.
Why This Matters
Many people's lives are affected by food deserts. Few people know about food deserts and the effects they have, but once more people learn about them, we can start taking action and hopefully make more impactful changes.
Take Action
With this new information, one thing you can do to contribute to the prevention of food deserts is donate to the Go Fund Me link at the top of the page labeled "DONATE NOW". Another thing you can do is start a community garden accessible to all in need.
