By: Kasabez Maakmaah
As the US falls deeper into economic recession, the dollar continues to lose its value, more people are having difficulty finding work, and the price of food is rising. Financial hardships and intense budgeting have become a reality for many Americans. Some are referring current urban conditions as third world. One Brooklyn food pantry fed 5000 new families, up from 3000 a year before. By all accounts, it’s getting ugly and by the look of it, the worst has yet to come.
Already, many urban areas have come to be considered “food deserts” where access to fresh, healthy food is not close by. Is Chicago, these food deserts are mostly found in the black communities where the average distance to a grocery store is almost double the average distance to a fast food restaurant. These communities are most in the far south side (past 87th st.) southwest (west of the Dan Ryan) and west. The impact on the health of those who live in these communities is disastrous. Chicago’s black communities have the highest rate of premature deaths due to cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
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