DETROIT – Standing outside an abandoned grocery store, lawmakers, including members of the House Urban Policy Committee, came to Detroit to discuss the need for urban grocery stores and the access to healthy, affordable foods for all Detroiters. Joined by the Detroit Community Grocery Store Coalition and other community leaders, the lawmakers targeted the food deserts – areas that lack access to nutritious food – which leave many residents more susceptible to premature death and illness due to poor nutrition.
"Food deserts threaten the health and the lives of too many Detroiters," said State Representative Gabe Leland (D-Detroit), Chair of the House Urban Policy Committee. "Too many of our residents simply don't have access to stores that sell healthy food. We can't allow convenience stores and fast food restaurants to be the only options by which residents can feed their families."
According to a 2007 study completed by the research and consulting group Mari Gallagher, roughly 550,000 Detroit residents – more than half the city's population – have to travel twice as far or farther to get to the closest grocery store as they do to reach the closest fast food restaurant or convenience store. The study also concluded that those residents are statistically more likely to suffer or die prematurely from a diet-related disease if the lack of nutritious food sources persists.
"Unless we increase access to healthy food, Detroiters will continue to suffer from inordinate rates of diseases like diabetes and obesity," said State Representative Bettie C. Scott (D-Detroit). "We must address the problem before more of our children grow up without proper nutrition. The long-term effect of poor dietary habits is preventing our children from reaching their full potential."
The Detroit Community Grocery Store Coalition is a community advocacy group aimed at developing a community-based
grocery store in Detroit designed to employ local residents, help redevelop the city and provide a healthy, affordable
food source for the community. The United Food and Commercial Workers union, which also participated in the call to
action, has 1.3 million members who work in a range of industries including retail food, meatpacking, food processing
and retail stores.
"I applaud the UFCW and the coalition for their efforts to bring more grocery stores to Detroit," said State
Representative David E. Nathan (D-Detroit). "It's going to take collaboration across the community to
address Detroit's nutrition problem, and urban grocery stores can be part of that solution."
Following a press conference, the House Urban Policy Committee held a meeting to discuss Detroit's "food desert" problem with community leaders and residents at the Historic East Lake Baptist Church located at 12400 E. Jefferson Ave. in Detroit.
"We must come together as a community to address what has become a food crisis," said Father Ted Parker of St. Cecilia Catholic Church, who serves as a member of the Detroit Community Grocery Store Coalition. "This issue demands attention – the children and families of our community deserve much better than what is currently available to many of them."
For more information on urban grocery stores and the Detroit Community Grocery Store Coalition, visit www.ufcwcommunity.org/.