Group sets sights on eradicating childhood hunger, food deserts
Youngstown’s East Side was the site of a meeting today between U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative and other community leaders to discuss legislative efforts to fight childhood hunger and provide ease of access to healthy foods in local food deserts.
Approximately 50 people attended the event held at Neighborhood Ministries, listening to Brown and others speak on the importance of providing access to healthy foods to all people, especially those in poverty-stricken neighborhoods. The event came on the heels of the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at ending childhood hunger, promoting school nutrition and reducing childhood obesity. Brown gave praise to community groups aiding in the effort to fight hunger, including MVOC, which has organized a healthy neighborhood initiative in both Youngstown and Warren.
"Families are struggling to regain their footing as our economy recovers. That's why we're taking bold steps to end childhood hunger," said Brown. "Thanks to organizations like Neighborhood Ministries and the Center for Community Empowerment, Children in Youngstown and throughout Ohio can count on getting healthy, nutritious meals, but the federal government must provide new tools and resources to address the challenges posed by food deserts.”
According to the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, low-income urban communities, rural communities, and communities of color are especially affected by high rates of obesity, diabetes, and other related diseases, a statistic which has hit especially close to home with the recent release of MVOC’s Health Equity Report. This report demonstrated that most of Youngstown is a food desert, with most people living outside of walking distance of a full-service grocery store.
"The Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative is proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Senator Sherrod Brown to release the results of our recent Health Equity Campaign Report, which proves beyond the shadow of a doubt why the Healthy, Hunger Free-Kids Act is so important for our Valley's future," said Executive Director of the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative Kirk Noden.
As a part of MVOC’s Health equity Campaign, they are looking at ways to fight the impact of health disparities and increase access to healthy foods. MVOC is also exploring other pieces of legislation like Greening the Food Desert Act introduced by Marcy Kaptur and Healthy Food Financing Initiative to increase statewide support of equitable food access.
Other speakers at the event touched on the importance of passing legislation aimed at ending hunger. Mark Samuels, director of Neighborhood Ministries, said that his organization alone feeds 90 to 100 children a day, and he is glad to know that legislation is in place to allow them to continue to do so.
“Feeding hungry children is a very personal thing for me,” said Samuels. “Neighborhood Ministries has been feeding children since 1913 and the passing of the Hunger Free Act 2010 bill will help us to continue feeding children well into the future.”
Pastor Willie Peterson of Kimmel Brook Baptist Church and the Director of Center for Community Empowerment (CCE) said his group serves 150 nutritious meals five days a week all year long.
“We need policies like this in place to expanded food programs so that we can service families in a more diverse way,” said Peterson. “That is why we are excited about the opportunity to participate in the Mahoning Valley City Fresh program. It allows us to work with others such as Goodness Grows and MVOC to teach, train and challenge families to eat healthier; cook more nutritiously, and shop more effectively.”
