McDonald’s. Burger King. Wendy’s. 7 Eleven. Wawa. Dunkin’ Donuts. Five Guys. The number of places to buy cheap food in Philadelphia is almost endless. But all of these places have one thing in common: they generally serve the unhealthiest foods available. Unfortunately, for many people living in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, these are the only foods that they can afford. This is leaving the residents of these neighborhoods in a dangerous situation, especially because they already live in the most obese country in the world. Two organizations are working to end this problem and they are beginning in Fishtown.
The Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger and Greensgrow Farms, a farm located just at the border of Fishtown and Kensington, are teaming up to create a City Supported Agriculture (CSA) program to support low-income individuals in the 19125 zip code, which includes Fishtown. Currently, Greensgrow offers a CSA for purchase by any individual, in which participants purchase weekly shares of produce and dairy items. The relationship with the Coalition Against Hunger, however, is allowing Greensgrow to help low-income individuals and families purchase nutritious, locally grown foods.
The Local Initiative for Food Education (LIFE) program is designed not only to bring nutritious foods to a low-income neighborhood, where these foods often are not available, but also to make them affordable and to educate the people receiving them on healthy lifestyle habits. The program is designed for low-income people to participate using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, a modern version of food stamps. Instead of paying cash, they pay a number of stamps based on the size of their family. Emily Rhodes, an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer at the Coalition Against Hunger, stresses the importance of getting all eligible people enrolled in SNAP.
There are currently 400,000 people using SNAP in Philadelphia, but about 150,000 people who are eligible for the benefits are not using them. Rhodes says: “SNAP builds self-sufficiency and dignity among our clients. It also helps them buy nutritious foods to put on the table for their family. We’re hoping that this low-income CSA will be anther way for our clients to get fresh, affordable food.” SNAP benefits promote healthy lifestyles in many ways. For example, people may not use SNAP to purchase prepared foods, like fast food, nor can they purchase alcohol, cigarettes or personal items. People using SNAP are forced to purchase unprepared foods, which are generally healthier than prepared foods.
One of the biggest threats to low-income populations today is food. Too much of the wrong food causes obesity and other of diseases and conditions, while too little of any food causes hunger. According to the Coalition Against Hunger, 49 million Americans, roughly one-sixth of the population, are at risk for hunger. In Philadelphia that number rises to one in four. The Hunger Coalition also notes that hunger does not always mean skinny. Obesity is also a sign of hunger and malnutrition, which often leads to many other complications. According to the National Institutes of Health, obesity is associated with increased risks of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis and pregnancy complications, just to name a few.
Marc Ambinder, a former obese man, found that obesity is largely a social problem, in his recent article, “Beating Obesity,” in Atlantic. He notes that one study found that people who lived among and socialized with obese people were more likely to become obese themselves. Ambinder also notes that low-income families usually have less access to healthcare and preventive care than wealthier families. He also blames food companies for their captivating advertisements and the addictive qualities they add to their recipes.
Obesity has even caught the attention of First Lady Michelle Obama, who is aiming to prevent childhood obesity with her Let’s Move campaign. One of the issues she highlights in her campaign is “food deserts,” which are urban areas that lack places to buy fresh foods. The LIFE program is tackling this issue directly. “Convenience stores have a lot of candy bars and prepared foods, but not fresh vegetables,” notes Erik Kintzel, Greensgrow Farms’ food manager. “Access to food is No. 1. And money. At the end of the days it’s a choice: food or clothes for the kid.”
Kintzel believes that Fishtown residents will be more inclined to join the program because they can use their SNAP benefits. “They know that they already have that money that has to be used for food,” he says. “They have more of a reception to the idea because they realize they can afford it with their SNAP benefits and it actually is inexpensive.” Kintzel believes that Fishtown was the perfect place to establish a low-income CSA. Not only is Greensgrow’s close proximity to Fishtown an important factor, but it is also a way to meet Fishtown’s needs as a community.
In 2008, the median household yearly income in Fishtown was $34,490, which is well below Pennsylvania’s average of $50,713. Thirty percent of the population also lives below the poverty level, while only 12 percent of people in Pennsylvania do. Twelve percent of residents actually had incomes below half of the poverty level. To receive SNAP benefits, people do not necessarily need to earn less than the poverty level, which indicates the huge need for SNAP in the Fishtown area. These statistics also indicate that a large number of people living in Fishtown could participate in and benefit from the LIFE program.
“Having something like the low-income CSA is just a way to get fresh food to people who usually only have access to corner stores,” says Rhodes. She notes that the LIFE program will also incorporate cooking classes and demonstrations, such as how to keep foods fresh for more than one week. Rhodes also says that is important not only to get the food to the people, but also to show them what to do with it. She and Kintzel stress that simply bringing access to food in communities like Fishtown is the most important goal of programs like this. ”I’m really excited about this program,” says Rhodes. “We want to get our clients the SNAP program, but if they can use them to receive fresh, affordable food, that’s great.”
For more information about the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger and SNAP, please visit Hungercoalition.org.
For more information about Greensgrow Farms or to register for the LIFE program, visit Greensgrow.org.
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