Food access |
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Access to food is a basic human right.
According to a 2019 study by Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research, “an estimated 724,750 food insecure individuals live in the Greater Houston area with a food insecurity rate of 16.6 percent, about 4 percentage points above the national average. Over 500,000 Houston residents live in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)- designated food desert areas.”* Food deserts, defined broadly as areas with limited access to fresh and nutritious foods, are prevalent across the Houston area. The lack of access to good quality food contributes to myriad issues, including higher rates of diabetes, obesity, malnourishment and other health issues.
Access to quality food is one of the most basic human rights, and it is unconscionable that there are people who are not afforded that right in the 4th largest city in the United States. Through strategic partnerships, we aim to decrease the amount of food deserts in Houston/Harris County over time, as well as support local co-operatives who have been creating community gardens and feeding residents for years before us. Our goal is to feed people directly and immediately, while building an infrastructure to eliminate the issue of food insecurity altogether.
*https://kinder.rice.edu/sites/g/files/bxs1676/f/documents/Food%20Insecurity.pdf