No Mugs No Masters Cooperative has a mutual aid program that gives away fresh produce and a variety of other goods at Sankofa Park in Syracuse, NY. The fresh produce we give away is sourced from farmers who set up shop at the CNY Regional Market. For people living in the surrounding area, it is nearly a 4 mile walk to the market, which takes two and a half hours round trip. For elderly and disabled folks in the area, that would be a nearly impossible journey that involves crossing parts of Salina Street that are extremely dangerous for pedestrians.
The USDA defines a food desert as a tract in which at least 100 households are located more than one-half mile from the nearest supermarket and have no vehicle access. The closest grocery stores from Sankofa park with fresh produce and other nutritious foods are Price Rite and Tops, with the former’s produce quality being subpar at best. The two grocery chains are 1.2 and 1.3 miles away respectively.
Based on data from the US Census, the 5 zip codes in a mile radius of Sankofa Park have 1 in 5 people living in extreme poverty. The 13205 zip code; the area where the park resides, has a staggering 29.2% of people below the poverty line. An important fact to remember is that the current poverty measure was developed in the mid 1960s, so the true poverty rate is significantly higher based on inflation.
When searching for other “grocery stores” in the surrounding area, you are met with a variety of results for convenience stores that lack fresh produce and sell foods that are non-nutritious and high in sugar. This particular area of the city is what can be referred to as a food swamp.
It is essential that people all over the United States identify the areas in their city or town that are struggling with access to fresh produce and find ways to alleviate this problem. Only through mutual aid will we build a new society based on care and making sure all of our basic needs are met.