About 10% of Wisconsin (that’s 570,000 people) can be identified as what’s called a “food desert.” Trust us, that’s not a good designation. In fact, state officials are stepping up with funding to help communities in search of an oasis.
Here’s Five Fast Facts About Solutions to Wisconsin’s Food Desert:
- 🥫A Food What? - A food desert is defined as an area where residents don’t have immediate access to affordable, healthy food choices mostly because a grocery store isn’t within convenient traveling distance.
- 🍲Up in the UP - Residents in Florence County would have to drive up to a half hour one way (and into freakin’ Michigan!) to get groceries. Imagine having to do that with this inflation!
- 🥘That’s Not Good - A study by the city of Milwaukee also links food deserts to high rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
- 🥬Lettuce and Cheddar - The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp has been providing grants for projects to create jobs and boost local economies, and that includes grocery stores. That area of Florence County? It got one and it’s thriving and people aren’t spending $600 in gas.
- 😋Just Desserts - The City of Madison is also trying to do its part with the Healthy Retail Access Program that gives grant money for potential grocery stores and other (healthy) food-related businesses. By the way, Madison has THREE food deserts, so it’s not limited to rural areas.
🔥Bottom line: Eating (and staying) healthy has become incredibly difficult since the pandemic hit. These grants are a smart way to change things. In fact, other states are doing the same with interesting results — there’s a self-serve grocery store in rural Minnesota that’s been a huge hit. In the end, everyone benefits. There’s food, an economic boost, and happy, healthy people!
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