• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Covid Resource Center
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Wellness / General Health / Looters Leave More Food Deserts In Black Communities

Looters Leave More Food Deserts In Black Communities

(Photo by Claudio Santana/Getty Images)

“Food desert” is a term that has been around for years. Most of the time when people are using that term they are talking about Black and brown communities. Food deserts are geographic areas where access to affordable, healthy food options (e.g., fresh fruits and veggies) is limited or nonexistent because grocery stores are too far away.

About 23.5 million people live in food deserts. Nearly half of them are also low-income. Residents living in food deserts also have a hard time finding foods that are culturally relevant and that meet their dietary restrictions. With limited options, many people living in food deserts get meals from fast-food restaurants.

Fast food eating on a consistent basis does nothing for our communities but contribute to the high rates of cholesterol, blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and more. It’s a vicious cycle.

And now, with looters taking advantage of protests in honor of George Floyd, they have left Black communities all over the U.S. in more of a bad situation as it relates to access to healthy food.

You May Also Like
15 Natural Remedies for Aches and Pains

A supermarket chain said recent looting in Philadelphia sparked by the death of George Floyd has forced it to shutter all seven of its locations there, meaning some customers “can’t get food anywhere.”

Fresh Grocer’s store is located in the Germantown neighborhood and was among the businesses that suspended operations over safety concerns.

“We can’t open our Fresh Grocer Supermarket. People are coming up crying because they can’t get food anywhere,” Fresh Grocer CEO Pat Burns told FOX News. “This was the No. 1 food desert in Philadelphia for years.”

In Chicago, there are a number of food deserts.

You May Also Like
Bacon and other meats May Increase Your Risk for This Lung Disease

One resident is quoting saying “I have to go to Indiana, in order to get food now because my local grocery store is closed down.”

Pamela Davis of Chicago’s Auburn-Gresham neighborhood says “Now, I’m on the hunt for places to fill my medication. My local CVS is closed and I don’t know when they’ll be back open. This just makes no sense.”

(Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Local Market Foods is the main source of fresh food for people in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, and during all of the chaos, the community came together to protect it.

When riots and looting started, the store had to close because employees and even security were concerned about their safety. But when they closed, the community no longer had a nearby source for fresh food. That’s why people in the neighborhood, along with community organizers, plan to show their support Thursday as the store reopens.

“What we’re doing is bringing community members to say we are not going to allow our stores to be closed or taken over by vandals, sending a clear signal that the support of the community is behind local market,” Neighbor Network Alliance Val Free said.

This grocery store was also behind the Feeding South Shore initiative. Providing thousands of meals to families in the neighborhood.

So what happens now?
Will grocery store chains come back and rebuild in those neighborhoods?
Will prices go up because of insurance claims that had to be filed?

The short answer is, we don’t know. What we do know is that our people need fresh, healthy food so where can we get that from?

Some of the most widely available grocery delivery services include Instacart, Walmart, Shipt, and Peapod so check and see if…

Continue Reading

The Latest In General Health

ALERT: Skittles, Starbust and Life Savers Recalled!

Candy makers Mars Wrigley Confectionery U.S, LLC is recalling certain varieties of SKITTLES® Gummies, STARBURST® Gummies, and LIFE SAVERS® Gummies because of the potential presence of a very thin metal strand embedded in the gummies or loose in the bag. read more about ALERT: Skittles, Starbust and Life Savers Recalled!
Mother's Day gifts

Trendy Mother’s Day Gifts She’ll Love (And Use)!

Mother’s Day is less than a week away and if you’re anything like me, you’re running low on both time and ideas. The last thing you want to do is give one of the most important women in your life read more about Trendy Mother’s Day Gifts She’ll Love (And Use)!
plastic

Your Take-Out Coffee Cup May Shed Trillions of Plastic ‘Nanoparticles’

Maybe you ask the barista for cream with your coffee, and possibly sugar as well. But new research shows that paper cup of joe you grab off the coffeehouse counter contains another ingredient, and it's one you might not care read more about Your Take-Out Coffee Cup May Shed Trillions of Plastic ‘Nanoparticles’
vegan and vegetarian

10 Black-Owned Vegan & Vegetarian Spots You Should Know

When you buy Black, you not only invest in your own community, but you invest in yourself as well. What better way to take it one step further than to patronize a Black-owned vegan or vegetarian restaurant that is healthy read more about 10 Black-Owned Vegan & Vegetarian Spots You Should Know

Celebrity DJ’s Wife Faked Orgasms for 10 Years of Marriage because of ‘Not Knowing Her Own Body’

Popular daily radio and vlog show, The Breakfast Club co-host DJ Envy and his wife Gia Casey have been in the news lately, and not for their job. Gia has admitted she had faked orgasms for 10 years of her read more about Celebrity DJ’s Wife Faked Orgasms for 10 Years of Marriage because of ‘Not Knowing Her Own Body’
antibiotic

Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing in Black Patients Reaches Alarming Levels

The majority of antibiotic prescriptions for U.S. seniors and Black and Hispanic Americans are inappropriate, a new report reveals. For the study, researchers analyzed federal government data on more than 7 billion outpatient visits to doctors' offices, hospital clinics and read more about Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing in Black Patients Reaches Alarming Levels

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

  • The McGhee Sextuplets: A Family Built On LoveThe McGhee Sextuplets: A Family Built On Love
  • Top 3 Mistakes Cooking Salmon (You Should Never Make Again)Top 3 Mistakes Cooking Salmon (You Should Never Make Again)
  • Black Don’t Crack: Mother Of 3 Photo Goes ViralBlack Don't Crack: Mother Of 3 Photo Goes Viral
  • Aleisha Allen: From Actress to Speech PathologistAleisha Allen: From Actress to Speech Pathologist
  • David And Tamela Mann On 34 Years Of Marriage: “I’ve Found A Good Thing”David And Tamela Mann On 34 Years Of Marriage: "I've Found A Good Thing"

Podcast

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2022, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.