According to a recently released study, “The State of the Food System,” the Indy Food Council has identified challenges to supporting a sustainable food system in Marion County. They also reveal opportunities and some surprising gains in Indianapolis in accessing fresh food for more people.
Access to healthy food is one of the foundations for moving Marion County forward in many ways, the report noted. There are links to healthy and affordable food choices improving health and well-being, which in turn leads to better productivity in jobs and fewer costly health problems.
Local agriculture that is focused on providing food for farmer’s markets, farm-to-table restaurants, and co-op shares has been growing in scope in the past 10 years according to the study, with several east side programs mentioned, including Garcia’s Gardens, the Helege Hiywot Center, Growing Places Indy, Indy Urban Acres, and the Lawrence Community Garden. The Indy Food Council recommended that the City look to preserve existing farmland, especially in in the eastern third of the county, and to establish land trusts in the county to improve access for aspiring urban farmers.
Food Research and Action Center, a nonprofit group focused on poverty-related hunger, also recently revealed that Indiana has a high rate of food insecurity, with nearly 20 percent of residents lacking money for food to feed their families in the last year. Despite ranking 11th in agricultural product sales in the country, the state’s urban and rural poor have poor access to the food grown in their own area. Other studies have revealed that Hoosiers import 98 percent of fruits and vegetables consumed in the state.
In addition to few local sources of fresh food, many in the county cannot afford, or cannot access, the supply that is available. Nearly a quarter of Marion County’s population live in poverty, despite record low unemployment. About four percent of the population is without a car, relying on public transportation or their own feet to get to and from a grocery store. For those individuals, getting food — any food, fresh or otherwise — requires extra effort and expense. The study recommended further evaluation of vacant land use and allow agricultural uses where appropriate. In addition, Indy Food Council suggests encouraging more food-based businesses, including food manufacturing, to boost employment.
The Indy Food Council also examined the connection between fresh food access and health conditions in Marion County. They noted that the 2012 Marion County Health Department’s Community Health Assessment reported that obesity has increased dramatically both in adults and children, and that Type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportions. While it may seem contrary to say there is a lack of access to food on one hand and state that 40 percent of the population is overweight on the other, the lack of fresh, healthy food and reliance on high-fat, high-sodium, high-sugar processed food is a large factor in the weight problem.
Health care providers, including local hospitals, have taken note of the lack of access and have been working on providing food-focused health programs. In addition, the report revealed that schools have developed programs to provide healthy meals for students, as well as healthy eating and fitness initiatives in the classroom. Those who qualify for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) can take advantage of the Purdue Extension Nutrition Education Program free workshops and information.
The Indy Food Council’s report also has made recommendations for improving access to fresh food in lower income, food insecure neighborhoods, including policy changes on the state level that bars SNAP benefits for ex-offenders convicted of a drug felony, removing the asset limit of $2,250 for SNAP, and providing funding for new healthy food retail projects that benefit underserved communities.
The Weekly View has been encouraging east side neighbors to help each other, through canned food drives and the donation of three free food boxes on the east side, including the latest one installed this summer near Paramount School of Excellence on Nowland Ave. Other boxes can be found in the Otterbein and Brookside neighborhoods, plus Emerson Baptist Church on Emerson. The free food boxes is part of a larger initiative where congregations, charities, and individuals donate directly to needy neighbors who may not have access to food pantries or other kinds of assistance.
