The Wellness Coalition, together with the Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission (CARPDC), has partnered with convenience stores in Montgomery, Macon, and Lowndes counties to help them offer fresh fruits and vegetables in “food deserts”— areas with limited access to fresh, healthy food —designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The program provides healthy options to encourage better choices and eating habits,” said Cade Gunnells, Community Development Specialist at CARPDC. “We want people to reach for fresh foods instead of processed foods, so we are making produce more convenient for those who live in food deserts.”
In addition to working with stores to set up space, develop delivery plans, and report successes, The Wellness Coalition, CARPDC, and EAT South have also begun hosting cooking demonstrations to teach customers how to use the fresh produce while cooking meals.
The demonstrations are free of charge, open to the public, and will be offered on three dates:
- Friday, October 9, 2015 from 2:00 to 5:00pm at Quick Shop, 2440 Lower Wetumpka Road, Montgomery, Alabama, 36110
- Friday, October 23, 2015 from 2:00 to 5:00pm at Kwik Stop, 101 Milner Street, Fort Deposit, Alabama, 36032
- Friday, October 30, 2015 from 2:00 to 5:00pm at Shell, 35 Tallapoosa Street, Notasulga, Alabama, 36866
“Some store owners who started on this program with us have found enough success that they have already expanded the program into their other stores,” said Sara Byard, REACH Program Coordinator for The Wellness Coalition. “Local businesses profit and communities gain affordable access to healthy foods. It’s a win-win.”
The Wellness Coalition is able to develop and coordinate these programs with partners like CARPDC through funding from the CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program. REACH provides grant funding for community-based organizations to help reduce racial and ethnic barriers to good health. For more information about REACH-funded programs from the Wellness Coalition, click here.