BLACK EMERGENCY MANAGERS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL: Food Desert in Black Communities within U.S. D.C. Commissioner Partners with Ward 8 Farmers Market to Address Food Insecurity in Ward 8. October 18, 2023 6:00 PM ET

Friday, October 6, 2023

Food Desert in Black Communities within U.S. D.C. Commissioner Partners with Ward 8 Farmers Market to Address Food Insecurity in Ward 8. October 18, 2023 6:00 PM ET

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information:

8C07@anc.dc.gov

(202) 579-0586

Commissioner Salim Adofo Partners with Ward 8 Farmers Market to Address Food Insecurity in Ward 8

Washington DC - Commissioner Salim Adofo, Chairman of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8C and the Ward 8 Farmers Market have partnered to combat food insecurity in the east of the river community of Ward 8. A Food Access Meeting will be held by Commissioner Adofo and the Ward 8 Farmers Market to plan steps to increase market capacity and address food insecurity in the ward. The meeting will be held at the UPO Petey Greene Community Service Center on October 18th at 6 p.m. The center is located at 2907 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE.

According to Adofo, "Access to quality food, fresh fruits and vegetables, is not only a public health issue, it is a public safety issue, and it is an economic development issue. By expanding the Ward 8 Farmers Market, food insecurity can be addressed, as well as opportunities for local businesses. With an expanded farmers market, residents can find a consistent array of affordable fresh food vendors, and residents who receive snap benefits have the opportunity to purchase twice as much food as they would have been able to purchase in a traditional grocery store, for the same price."

According to the US Department of Agriculture, food insecurity is defined as the lack of access to nutritionally adequate and safe food. Ward 8 is characterized by a severe lack of full-service grocery stores, which contributes to food insecurity. Due to the decrease in access to healthy and affordable food, the burden on health and public safety has increased.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Those wishing to attend the meeting can RSVP at WardFoodAccess.eventbrite.com or contact Commissioner Adofo at salim.adofo@anc.dc.gov for more information.