Photo from The Hunger Forum: http://thehungerforum.org/outside-the-box/mobile-food-pantries/
We’ve written about the problem of “Food Deserts” in New Orleans before – places where low income communities especially have problems with access to healthy and affordable food options. Sadly, New Orleans is considered one of the worst Food Deserts in the nation due in part to over 30 supermarkets closing after Katrina and never coming back, along with large pockets of low income communities, and low public transportation access.
We believe strongly here at NOLA Food Trucks that people should not have to struggle to eat healthy, affordable foods. And that those in need the most should be able to easily get food from food pantries if they need it.
The New York Times recently ran this article on similar problems in Germantown, Massachusetts, and how a mobile food pantry is making it easier in low income communities by bringing the food to communities, rather than having communities struggle with expensive cab fare or long multi-transfer bus rides to reach the food:
It is based on a simple idea: If Germantown cannot get to the food, the Mobile Pantry will get the food to Germantown.
“It’s definitely a creative solution,” said Shelly Ver Ploeg, an economist at the United States Agriculture Department who studies food deserts. “For communities that don’t have a supermarket, this might be a way to go.”
It’s a genius idea and an efficient way to feed those who often need it the most. We’d love to see more of this type of model in New Orleans.
