The silent PANDEMIC in the Bay Area no one is talking about. Food Deserts

There is a reason why when you go to historically disadvantaged-low income communities you see more liquor stores than fresh food grocery stores.

Ever bought an orange or tomato that seemed to spoil as soon as it got to the house? It’s called a food desert

A food desert is defined as an “urban area” that lacks adequate access to fresh-good quality food sources.

Research has shown that there are hundreds of Bay Area neighborhoods without adequate access to food.

This is a pattern that has shown up in predominantly Black- low in come neighborhoods. South Vallejo is included in the list of cities hit harshly by a food desert. And just over the bridge in Bayo Vista, Rodeo public housing, is another area stricken by this.

Pica and anemia (women chewing large portions of ice) are just a few of the effects of the food deserts which are symptoms that go commonly misunderstood. Food deserts are another pandemic harming underserved communities which often goes under the radar. It is truly a silent pandemic.

Being denied food is a basic need that CANNOT go ignored. It is depriving human lives of a basic resource that keeps them alive. Something MUST be urgently done.