In Chester, a city where hard times often plow under shiny promises, a hunger-relief agency's pledge to build America's first nonprofit supermarket was greeted skeptically at first. But Philabundance may be confounding local doubters. Its Fare & Square grocery store, seven years in the making, is ready to open its doors Saturday morning, a rare oasis in what has been called a food desert....
and guess who produces their circulars... that's right. <<
In Chester, a city where hard times often plow under shiny promises, a hunger-relief agency's pledge to build America's first nonprofit supermarket was greeted skeptically at first.
But Philabundance may be confounding local doubters. Its Fare & Square grocery store, seven years in the making, is ready to open its doors Saturday morning, a rare oasis in what has been called a food desert....
and guess who produces their circulars... that's right. <<
In Chester, a city where hard times often plow under shiny promises, a hunger-relief agency's pledge to build America's first nonprofit supermarket was greeted skeptically at first.
But Philabundance may be confounding local doubters. Its Fare & Square grocery store, seven years in the making, is ready to open its doors Saturday morning, a rare oasis in what has been called a food desert....
and guess who produces their circulars... that's right. <<
In Chester, a city where hard times often plow under shiny promises, a hunger-relief agency's pledge to build America's first nonprofit supermarket was greeted skeptically at first.
But Philabundance may be confounding local doubters. Its Fare & Square grocery store, seven years in the making, is ready to open its doors Saturday morning, a rare oasis in what has been called a food desert....
and guess who produces their circulars... that's right. <<
In Chester, a city where hard times often plow under shiny promises, a hunger-relief agency's pledge to build America's first nonprofit supermarket was greeted skeptically at first.
But Philabundance may be confounding local doubters. Its Fare & Square grocery store, seven years in the making, is ready to open its doors Saturday morning, a rare oasis in what has been called a food desert....
and guess who produces their circulars... that's right. <<
New supermarkets may be routine in the suburbs, but in some urban areas they are a rarity.
It's not just blighted inner-city minority ghettos either. I live within the city limits, a stone's throw away from if not the wealthiest suburb, certainly one of the wealthiest. If I get on the highway, get off two exits down the road, and wind my way through the convoluted suburban streets that are designed to confuse outsiders, I can find a Whole Foods, and pay top dollar for good food, then spend another half-hour getting it home. Not practical.
Madison is one of the best cities for farmers' markets. But unless you live within walking distance of where it's held, and have time every weekend to do a whole week's shopping (not very practical when you're on foot), it's really nothing more than one of those quaint things for tourists.
What do I have in my neighborhood, where I can do a day's shopping in an hour? The closest place with food is a small Wal-Mart. No, not the new Wal-Mart grocery stores, or a Super Wal-Mart, just a plain Wal-Mart. Next is Target, which recently added a food section. (No fresh food though.) The regular grocery stores are either recently shut down or about to be shut down. It's not a recession thing; it's the big box stores taking enough of their business that they can't survive.
I'm seeing this in a lot of "nice" neighborhoods. And it's not easy to "just drive to the good stores" as they get farther and farther away. Not everybody has a car. Not everybody can drive. Not everybody can afford cab fare and groceries. But everybody must eat.
I like seeing news about efforts to bring nutrition into areas where it's most needed. I also like the idea of taking abandoned lots and using them as community gardens. I'd like it better if they came to where I live. At least it's a step in the right direction.
New supermarkets may be routine in the suburbs, but in some urban areas they are a rarity. WHYY's Elizabeth Fiedler and Peter Crimmins offer this joint report on local efforts to bring the benefits of fresh food to the inner city. First, Elizabeth Fiedler reports from Progress Plaza on North Broad Street.
Very good story about the efforts of an area in North Philadelphia to bring fresh food to their area.
