Chapter 1 Introduction
Access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food is a fundamental requirement for healthy living. As of 2013
in the United States 38.9% of low-income households and 14.3% of all households were considered
“food insecure” – meaning they did not have access to enough food for “active, healthy living” (Alisha
Coleman-Jensen C. G., 2014; Alisha Coleman-Jensen C. G., 2014). One of the manifestations of food
insecurity are food deserts – communities that have limited access to supermarkets or grocery stores
that often rely on fast food and convenience stores with a lack of healthy affordable food (USDA AMS,
n.d.). In particular, access to supermarkets and large grocery stores trends to healthier food intakes, and
access to fast food restaurants trends to unhealthier food intakes (Michele Ver Ploeg, 2009). In the
United States 2.2% of households live more than a mile from a supermarket and do not have access to a
vehicle, and 3.2% of all households live between ½ and 1 mi from a supermarket and do not have access
to a vehicle (Michele Ver Ploeg, 2009). An estimated 4.1% of the total US population is both low-income
and lives more than 1 mile from a supermarket (Michele Ver Ploeg, 2009). Urban areas with limited food
access are generally characterized by higher levels of racial segregation and income inequality, as well as
insufficient infrastructure (Michele Ver Ploeg, 2009). Food deserts have been linked to obesity (White
House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, 2010), among other problems.
The USDA has a variety of programs aimed to assist those in food deserts, including aiding farmers
markets to accept EBT (electronic benefits transfer), promoting new local farmers, and creating regional
“food hubs” (USDA - Agricultural Marketing Service, n.d.). These programs encourage new “green” jobs
and increase food access in the targeted areas. Food hubs are regional programs that offer “production,
aggregation, distribution, and marketing services” to allow for producers to gain entry to new markets
that are difficult to access on their own, and the USDA believes that they “offer strong and sound
infrastructure support (...) which will also help build a stronger regional food system” (USDA -
Agricultural Marketing Service, n.d.). As well, to help food deserts the White House Task Force on
Childhood Obesity has recommended that local governments “create incentives to attract supermarkets
and grocery stores to underserved neighborhoods and improve transportation routes to healthy food
retailers,” and provide incentives to “increase production of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and
whole grains, as well as create greater access to local and healthy food for consumers.” (White House
Task Force on Childhood Obesity, 2010).
Cities are becoming increasingly concerned with how food relates to the urban environment and are
encouraging the development of “sustainable food systems” that contribute to high quality
neighborhoods, meet the health and nutrition needs of residents, and promote environmental
sustainability (Koc, 1999).Food deserts and food insecurity are all signs of unsustainable food systems. A
community that does not have ready access to supermarkets nor is able supply itself with fresh food
cannot sustain its inhabitants. According to the data stipulated by the USDA, there are about five of
these communities here in Worcester, one of these communities is Main South. In an attempt to
address the problem of the food desert in Main South, a local non-profit organization, Worcester Roots
has decided to design and build a greenhouse capable of providing fresh and affordable food to the
residents of the community, with the goal of providing a starting point to encourage and educate the
Worcester community about the ideals and promises of urban growing.
There are several aspects regarding the community that are of concern to Worcester Roots. It is
interesting to note 80% of public school children meet the requirement for a free lunch at school, this