Some Chicago StreetWise
magazine vendors are now selling fresh fruit and vegetables from carts
in an effort to address unemployment and access to healthy foods in the
city.
A federal grant could double the number of Illinois farmers markets that accept electronic payments, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon announced Tuesday.
During
a conference call, Simon said 41 Illinois farmers markets will each
receive $1,200 from the Illinois Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
Wireless Project. The money comes from a $4 million initiative by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) use at farmers markets.
A $182,000 federal grant from the United States Department of
Agriculture could provide up to 150 Illinois farmers’ markets with free
wireless machines that accept debit, credit and Link cards.
The
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Wireless Project is aiming to expand
access to fresh fruits and vegetables for Illinois’ low-income
residents. Illinois Lt. Governor Sheila Simon
originally announced the plan, and Simon’s spokeswoman Kathryn Phillips
told Progress Illinois that farmers markets must apply for the grant by
July 9 (go here to apply). Illinois’ wireless EBT project is part of a $4 million nationwide effort by the United States Department of Agriculture to increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) use at farmers’ markets.
For the first time, data pertaining to food insecurity and hunger exists on a neighborhood and suburban level for the Chicagoland area. The numbers reveal stark contrasts between Chicago neighborhoods as well as suburbs. Citywide, a staggering 20.6 percent of the population suffers from food insecurity, which is defined as reduced quality, variety or desirability in a diet that leads to disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.
The study by the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) is based on U.S. Department of Agriculture numbers released in the Food Insecurity in the United States 2009 data set.
That's the number of Chicagoans who live in a food desert, according to new data released exclusively to the Chicago Tribune. Although the number has fallen significantly since the first report on Chicago's food deserts was done back in 2006, researcher Mari Gallagher told the newspaper that the figure was still quite high.
"You can fill (U.S.) Cellular Field 10 times over with the food desert population," Gallagher told the Tribune. "To a great degree, these families that are in low-access areas endure the problem over generations and it has a compounded health effect."
The updated numbers on food deserts in the Windy City comes one week after Mayor Rahm Emanuel held a meeting with major grocery chains about addressing the lack of access residents of certain communities have to fresh produce and other healthy foods. Read more »
A federal grant could double the number of Illinois farmers markets that accept electronic payments, 
A $182,000 federal grant from the United States Department of
Agriculture could provide up to 150 Illinois farmers’ markets with free
wireless machines that accept debit, credit and Link cards.
For the first time, data pertaining to food insecurity and hunger exists on a neighborhood and suburban level for the Chicagoland area. The numbers reveal stark contrasts between Chicago neighborhoods as well as suburbs. Citywide, a staggering 20.6 percent of the population suffers from food insecurity, which is defined as reduced quality, variety or desirability in a diet that leads to disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.
That's the number of Chicagoans who live in a food desert, according to new data 