The nty Public Well being Meals Security Program (MCPH) put in a sixth fridge on the Fruteria El Barrio #2 retailer situated at 1401 Eastway Drive in Charlotte as a part of the fridge pilot program by means of the County’s Wholesome Nook Retailer initiative. Final yr, MCPH’s Meals Safety Program expanded initiatives to make contemporary fruit and veggies out there to residents residing in meals deserts or who might expertise meals insecurity.
“Entry to wholesome meals continues to be a precedence for MCPH. Our collaboration with nook retailer homeowners helps shut essential gaps in equitable entry to wholesome meals for our Mecklenburg County residents,” stated Emma Leon, well being coverage coordinator for the Workplace of Illness Coverage and Prevention. Power Illnesses, who leads the initiative.
Meals safety is the power of a family to entry nutritious meals, which contributes to an energetic and wholesome way of life. Practically 15 % of households in Mecklenburg County are thought-about meals insecure. Meaning they’ve a diminished eating regimen in high quality and selection, they could eat much less, and their consuming patterns are disrupted attributable to lack of cash and assets.
In 2021, the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners made addressing meals safety a precedence and allotted assets to develop packages that present more healthy meals in meals insecure locations, together with in Public Well being precedence areas. Here’s a listing of the opposite shops within the fridge pilot program.
Nook shops can play a essential position in offering wholesome meals in meals deserts and meals insecure locations. Retailer homeowners are eager to introduce wholesome stock with structured assist programs that may assist overcome the problem of introducing new merchandise and taking up new dangers. The county’s Wholesome Nook Retailer initiative helps retailer homeowners construct profitability and sustainability whereas offering methods on product placement and promoting wholesome and perishable objects. Nook shops usually lack the gear to retailer perishables, and making small investments in gear, comparable to fridges, can considerably improve a nook retailer’s means to promote wholesome objects.
