Posted on 05/28/2011 6:31:57 AM PDT by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
Durham, N.C. — Healthier food might soon be coming to a corner store near you, thanks to an initiative by local, state and federal governments to bring better eating options to areas without grocery stores.
Those who live along Angier Avenue in east Durham can buy food, but most of it is not very healthy. A mini mart sells candy and snacks, and a diner features a one-pound hot dog. The federal government calls places like this "food deserts."
"All the grocery stores have left, and all that people have access to is what's in a convenience store," said Sheree Vodicka, a spokeswoman for the North Carolina Division of Public Health.
Grocery stores typically carry more fresh fruits and vegetables and healthier food than convenience stores. "If you can't get to them, you can't choose those foods," Vodicka said. But things are on changing on Angier Avenue. Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers opened a grocery store there a year ago. It's become part of a new state effort to work with stores to bring fruits and vegetables to those food deserts.
The TROSA store manager said that business is brisk and people are buying healthier foods. "The community realizes that they have access, that they have resources," said David Reese, co-chair of Partnership for a Healthy Durham. People also get lessons on how to cook fresh vegetables from the county health department. "A lot of people may have been raised not eating it in the healthiest way, so we're trying to teach people to cook things quick and easy," nutritionist Kelly Warnock said.
But the program is about more than improving human health. Organizers hope it will bring back some big grocery stores to improve the community's economic health.
(Excerpt) Read more at wral.com ...
ECON 101: No one can create a market where one does not exist naturally—Not even the government.
A lot of retailers moved out of Detroit because they couldn’t make enough money to make up for losses to theft.
There is a market, but the shrink rate is too high. (theft)
“”All the grocery stores have left”
Gee, wonder why all the grocery stores have left... maybe if the residents would stop fouling their own nests, then businesses would return. After all, supply always follows demand, if supply isn’t afraid of being robbed and/or murdered...
So now we get a glimpse of where Moochelle’s “Eat Healthy” initiative is headed - just like school lunches became “school breakfasts” all “for the children” - we’re going to have the gubbermint stepping in to provide a teat to suckle on for the “food desert” inhabitants.
Exactly right. Poverty does not create crime. Crime creates poverty.
Hmmm.....if they managed both ends of the equation......???
Food stamps can only be used at government run food stores.......
I learned as much as I need to know about Durham NC in 06-08 with that Duke LAX case. The people of Durham don't DESERVE to be eating healthy food, they deserve to be eating rat poison.
Good grief how did people ever get by without government-run health food stores.
Take old failed communist ideas and dress them up with new lingo like “food deserts” and “eat healthy” - welcome to the USSA comrade!
One of the true mysteries of life that is.
“All the grocery stores have left...”
Instead of opening a government store, they should ask why the stores left and then create conditions to allow the stores to return. Without knowing the area, I can speculate on a few reasons.
1. High Crime
2. Obama Economy
3. Liberal Taxes
4. Anti-Business environment
5. Heavily Democratic area
If they want real change, they should refuse another government handout (grocery store) and vote conservatives into office. Let churches and private charities fill the gaps during the transition period.
Read the article and don’t see where “government” is running grocery stores
Yet.
There are at least 80 grocery stores including supermarkets, whole food stores, and produce outlets.
Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers opened a grocery store there a year ago .....
Where do you think that “TROSA”s money comes from?
Once proud and free Americans can now solely claim only a superior tolerance for obediently taking crap...
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