Fresh Fruits & Veggies to Richmond Food Deserts
By J. Chevont’e Alexander
There is an ongoing health problem, happening right now, that affects 1.4 million Virginians and is widespread in the Richmond-Metro. Last year, a group of local health officials, advocates and educators found that the city of Richmond is one of the largest food deserts in the country, when compared to cities of similar size.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food deserts as areas where people cannot access affordable and nutritious food. They are usually found in low-income areas where it is hard for residents to get to grocery stores or markets, according to the study. Many times the results are what you would expect. People eat food where they can get it, and researchers said that usually mean eating meals at fast food restaurants or shopping at corner stores.
Healthy Corner Store Initiative (HCSI) is a program that is aimed at addressing community access to healthy foods in Richmond City. The initiative focuses on connecting with corner stores that are located in areas underserved by fresh food retail outlets, like grocery stores. This is because the corner store, for many neighborhoods, is the only food source for many Richmond residents to utilize in areas identified as food deserts.
The Healthy Corners initiative arose from conversations involving Tricycle Gardens, the City of Richmond, the state health department, Virginia Community Capital and the Bon Secours of Richmond Health System. Richmond’s 7th District Councilwoman Cynthia Newbille chaired a series of meetings beginning in December 2012. All parties shared a concern that poor nutrition was a root cause of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other maladies afflicting the poor.
Studies have shown that 53% of the youth in an urban food desert stop into a corner store at least once per day and 42% shop there more than once. The average caloric intake of each purchase, mostly from processed foods high in fat and refined sugars, is 356 calories.
Councilwoman Newbille stated, “Health outcomes are directly and negatively impacted by a lack of regular access to healthy foods. However, healthy choices can only be made in communities where there are healthy options. Having access to wholesome, local foods can help people eat better, feel better and have better health outcomes.”
HCSI targets neighborhoods in the East End, North Side and South Side of Richmond. This program consists of commitments from corner storeowners, community-based organizations, and dedicated partners seeking to implement the program.
One of their partners, Tricycle Gardens, is an urban farm and non-profit. Tricycle Gardens is growing seasonal fresh produce year-round in the city and distributing local produce grown on RVA’s Urban Farm and other partner farms every week to corner markets serving families with limited or no access to fresh food. Tricycle Gardens also offers:
- Monthly in-store tastings to provide customers with no-risk opportunities to try new foods and hands-on opportunities to learn and practice skills to shop for and prepare healthy food on a limited budget.
- Technical assistance on managing fresh produce and increasing their capacity for healthy food retail from Tricycle Gardens’ staff.
“The City of Richmond is one of the largest urban food deserts in the United States,” explains Sally Schwitters, Executive Director of Tricycle Gardens.
This summer, the Richmond City Health District partnered with Tricycle Gardens to conduct a city-wide kickoff event to launch Tricycle Garden’s “Corner Farm” Program. Simultaneous events were held in June at seven neighborhood stores currently participating in the Corner Store Initiative.
Tricycle Gardens is a nonprofit organization with a mission to grow healthy food, healthy communities and a healthy local food system. Since breaking ground on our first garden, we have engaged thousands of neighbors and shown that the simple act of growing food is an incredibly powerful way to change the overall health of our community.
This work addresses a myriad of challenging issues, and ultimately our mission is about FOOD:
F – Focus on community needs
O – Outreach and education
O – Opportunities for healthy food access
D – Design of beautiful spaces
A special kickoff celebration was hosted at Tiger Mart earlier this summer, which is located in the Gilpin Court public housing community. Guest speakers included the First Lady of Virginia, Dorothy McAuliffe; Richmond City Health District Deputy Director, Dr. Danny Avula; Tricycle Gardens Executive Director, Sally Schwitters; and 3rd District Councilman Chris Hilbert. Activities such as cooking demonstrations by the Bon Secours “Class-A-Roll” food-truck, blood pressure screening, nutrition and healthy lifestyle education were available.
The Corner Store Initiative works with owners of corner stores in neighborhoods that are considered food deserts to make fresh produce available to their customers.
Several Richmond City Health District staff-members work with Tricycle Gardens and other community partners to promote the growth of the Healthy Corner Store concept and to encourage residents in the surrounding communities to adopt healthier diets that incorporate fresh produce and fruit.
Another partner is Virginia Community Capital Bank (VCC). VCC is a non-profit, community development financial institution (CDFI) and banking entity. Their work in underserved communities, includes:
- Providing financial technical assistance to small business owners, such as corner storeowners, providing flexible loans, deposits, and advisory services.
- Their work in the Get Fresh! Corner Store program is implemented through the Virginia Fresh Food Loan.
After the initial pilot year of Richmond Healthy Corners Stores, they have decided to expand the program. Over the next two years, they plan to add 30 more member stores to the Healthy Corner Store Initiative. In addition, they will be offering more variety of healthy items including: low fat milk, low-sodium canned items, low-sugared beverages and a larger variety of fruits and vegetables. In order to meet the goal of expansion they are also bringing on a new partner, Shalom Farms, to assist them with produce and healthy food product delivery and overall programming. Lastly, they will be working with storeowners to carry WIC eligible items in their stores so WIC participants can use their benefits and purchase healthy food items for their whole family right in their neighborhood.
As of July 2015 there are 13 corner stores participating in the Healthy Corner Store Initiative, including:
Triple 7
404 Westover Hills Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23225
Six Points
2933 2nd Avenue
Richmond, VA 23222
Tiger Mart
200 West Hill St.
Richmond, VA 23220
701 Express
701 Jefferson Davis Highway
Richmond, VA 23224
Fine Foods
4904 Government Road
Richmond, VA 23231
Clay Street Market
501 N. 30th St.
Richmond, VA 23223
25th Street Market
1007 North 25th Street
Richmond, VA 23223
RS Express
4007 Jefferson Davis Highway
Richmond, VA 23234
Corner Express Mart
2930 North Ave
Richmond, VA 23222
48 Hours
5091 Forest Hill Ave
Richmond, VA 23225
Jack Rabbit
3415 Hull Street
Richmond, VA 23224
Song’s Market
1400 Mechanicsville Turnpike
Richmond, VA 23222
Simpson’s Market
3006 Meadowbridge Road
Richmond, VA 23222
For more information, please visit: http://tricyclegardens.org.
