Jonathan Adams

New York Neighborhoods Need Fresh Food

Courtesy of New York Times

The NYT reports that “Big Apple” residents can’t find supermarkets in walking distance from their homes, and they are, consequently, spending their food budgets in drug stores where no fresh foods are available.

A continuing decline in the number of neighborhood supermarkets has made it harder for millions of New Yorkers to find fresh and affordable food within walking distance of their homes, according to a recent city study. The dearth of nearby supermarkets is most severe in minority and poor neighborhoods already beset by obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

All over the city and not even just low-income neighborhoods, the community’s food crisis is also a labor problem. As grocery stores close, as many as 100 workers could be left without jobs.

At stake at the Bronx store are more than 100 jobs, many of them filled by local residents, including teenagers and single mothers. Some of the employees more or less grew up in the business, starting as teenagers with part-time, unionized jobs. The pay and benefits have helped them support their families, and even prosper.

Posted at 1:27 PM, May 05, 2008 in Food | Permalink | View Comments