Food Access
Target: By 2027, reduce by half the number of census tracts where residents are low-income, lack vehicle access, are a certain distance from a healthy food outlet, and availability of healthy food is low.
Background: Residents in low-income neighborhoods may face more barriers to accessing healthy food options; they may travel further to reach healthy food outlets or may not have the economic means to afford healthy food options. The OneSTL Food Access Working Group recognized that grocery stores are only one source of healthy food. Others include, but are not limited to, farmers markets, community-supported agriculture, neighborhood gardens, and mobile markets.
Structure: The original OneSTL Food Access Working Group was convened by the St. Louis Food Policy Coalition - a group of individuals and organizations working to promote a thriving local food system that supports the health, community, environment, and economy of the St. Louis region. While the structure has changed over the years, organizations in the region continue to collaborate on projects to improve food access.
Activities: While the original OneSTL Food Access Working Group formed after the OneSTL Plan no longer convenes, organizations in the region continue to meet and collaborate on projects to improve food access. In 2023, organizations collaborated to release a City of St. Louis Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Accelerator Plan. In 2024, the St. Louis Regional Community Health Improvement Plan was released. An action team meets to address chronic disease and healthy food access priorities identified in the plan.
What you can do:
- Check out resources in the OneSTL Toolkit, such as the Urban Agriculture and Community Gardens tools.
- Volunteer with (in no particular order) St. Louis MetroMarket, City Greens Market, United People Market, the Link Market, A Red Circle - all entities selling fresh, local food in areas of limited food access.
The following organizations Support* or Commit** to assisting with this Target.
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Curium* Bi-State Development** MBS Urban Initiaves CDE, LLC* Global Products, Inc** Renew Missouri* Sitton Energy Solutions* Washington University in St. Louis* University City, MO* Linda Goldstein Consulting* The Nature Conservancy in Missouri* |
Heartlands Conservancy* Thomas Dun Learning Center** St. Louis Food Policy Coalition** Missouri Coalition for the Environment** Citizens for Modern Transit* US Green Building Council - Missouri Gateway Chapter* Willoughby Heritage Farm and Conservation Reserve** International Society of Sustainability Professionals StL Chapter** Green Dining Alliance / St. Louis Earth Day** Nine Network of Public Media** |
