My favorite part of the Why Hunger website is how personal the stories are. Many of the snapshots talk about new policies, programs, or initiatives, but they focus in on the individual community members that these larger plans affect. I think its very easy, especially in D.C., to get wrapped up in the legislation and forget about the people that this food movement is really about, like Jean Paul, owner of Philly cornerstore ChuChu.
Situated in a very concentrated row house neighborhood of North Philly, Chu Chu has a responsibility to feed the community. Jean Paul provides the main source of food for up to 65 families that live in the densely populated area. Chu Chu is also the closest food supplier for four schools, ranging from pre K to High School, meaning the store serves on average 50 kids a day. The main thing Jean Paul knows about food systems is that it’s all about trust. He is entrusted with the health of his community and its future generations, as are all members of the food chain.
Feeding the neighborhood is not a duty Jean Paul takes lightly, which is why he participates in the Food Trust’s Healthy Corner Store Initiative. The great part about the program is that it keeps the focus of the food movement on the personal level. Rather than mandating statewide solutions with specific requirements, the initiative allows the individual business owners to find solutions for their own communities. Food Trust provides storage space, nutrition classes, and mentoring, but beyond that corner store owners are supposed to find, stock, and promote their own healthy produce. This allows Jean Paul to be more connected to his food chain, as he must interact more directly with suppliers and his customers to promote healthy options, while providing solutions best fit for his neighborhood.
I think there is an interesting balance to be found between putting the burden of solutions too heavily on community members while also making sure solutions aren’t too broad based they become inapplicable to specific problems a neighborhood might face. The antidote to a poisonous food system dominated by large-scale agriculture should not be solely dominated by large-scale healthy food programs. After all, the local food movement is supposed to be local.
You’re right, Grace, that finding a balance between local applications and the broader principles of food equity and security is the challenge. That’s what the bumper sticker, “Think globally, act locally” seems to have been getting at as well. My guess is that this is less about finding an all-purpose balance than about constantly readjusting in the face specific communities’ needs and resources.
It’s been fun having your voice in this summer’s conversation.
Hi Grace, I enjoyed reading your post. I have heard about Food Trust’s Healthy Corner Store Initiative since I live in Philadelphia and am also interested in food access. The local aspect of this program is what I think makes it successful. There are many neighborhoods in Philadelphia that do not have access to healthy food, which is directly correlated to the socioeconomic status of the neighborhood. Some argue that grocery stores will not survive in poor neighborhoods, and it is not worth taking the “risk” and investing in one. However, this is so far for true. Everyone eats. Grocery stores built in food deserts thrive because everyone needs food.
Coincidentally, I read an article a few hours ago about The Food Trust, titled “Bringing Access to Healthy Food to Philadelphia.” It was a good read, and if interested, I recommend checking it out: http://foodtank.com/news/2015/07/bringing-access-to-healthy-food-to-philadelphia
I really enjoyed reading your response and I liked your focus on being able to hear the stories from small business owners or stories on a more personal level. It connects us to the tories on a deeper level than just reading about it through policies and through what we are told about the issue. I agree with you that this website and the anecdotes made things more real and put it into perspective. I think that a lot of people share their want of knowledge on a more personal level and thats when things are done, when it hits on a more personal front. Thank you!
Thanks