Lost in a Food Desert

posted on: Monday, November 14, 2011


Last week I posted about Global Mobile Family, and their amazing trip around the world on their bikes with 4 small children. We sat around in my living room while the parents, Julie and Martin, showed me their camping kitchen gear. Christian and I were so inspired by their biking trip that we have officially decided to travel around South America before we head back to California next year. How privileged we are! There is no way to deny it.

Today I was inspired by a different dad and a different bike story. Owen Smith bikes 3 miles round trip to  get to a supermarket where he can buy fresh fruits and veggies for his kids. Smith lives in Avondale, one of seven poor neighborhoods in Cincinnati, where junk food is plentiful but healthy food is not. In his neighborhood Smith can find 6 convenience stores, 12 fast food restaurants but not one super market.

Have you heard of the term food desert? Well, Owen and his kids live in one.

If you have 5 extra minutes in your day I recommend watching this.



Now here's the thing Owen Smith, well Owen Smith inspires me. He is definitely an example of a dedicated dad and I think his story needs to be celebrated, talked about, and then used as an example so that new policies can be created to help everyone get access to healthy foods. I'm glad Owen Smith is dedicated and conscientious about food, but honestly I was pretty freaked out watching the video of him having to navigate 100 pounds of food on his bike through dangerous traffic.

In other words I strongly believe that access to healthy foods is a systemic problem, not an individual one. 

Thoughts?

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