(Washington, DC) Today, the newly established Mayor’s Commission on Food and Nutrition released a report on food accessibility in the District of Columbia. Healthy Food, Healthy Communities: An Assessment and Scorecard of Community Food Security in the District of Columbia reviews the current state of access to food and nutrition resources in the District of Columbia by Ward. The report also provides direction for organizations, government and individuals interested in ensuring food security to individuals by providing better access to healthy and affordable food in every community.
In the District of Columbia more than 68,000 residents, including 35,000 children, are in danger of living with hunger. Obesity rates of more than 24 percent also put the health of some Washington residents in danger.
Mayor Anthony A. Williams says, “The health and well being of Washington residents is extremely important. Last year, the re-establishment of the Commission on Food and Nutrition was a proactive move to make an aggressive stand on hunger.” Also, in April of this year, Mayor Williams and three non-profit organizations - DC Hunger Solutions, the Food Research and Action Center, and Share Our Strength - launched a Ten Year Campaign to End Childhood Hunger in the Nation’s Capital.
The report released today details the factors within a community’s food system that influence the availability, cost, and quality of food to area households. Items included in the assessment included: the distribution of grocery stores and farmer’s markets by Ward; healthy food availability and cost at area grocery stores and corner markets; and the impact of grocery cooperatives.
Robert Egger, Chair of the Mayor’s Commission on Food and Nutrition and Commission and President of DC Central Kitchen, which feeds many of the District’s homeless population states, “Washington is one of the only cities in America with a Commission dedicated to Food and Nutrition-and we should really be excited by that. The Commission’s goal is not to highlight what is wrong, or what is missing, but to advance ideas and partnerships to insure that everyone in our community is healthy, active and vital.”
Select the link below to view the report.