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Natural Awakenings Healthy Living Magazine

Greening the Food Desert

Jeff Tritten, a member of the Washtenaw Optimal Wellness (WOW) Executive Committee, comprised of a coalition of medical and business professionals that are passionate about helping our community be healthy, feel their best, and live longer, contacted Congresswoman Debbie Dingell’s office about supporting a bipartisan bill introduced in congress by Tim Ryan titled Healthy Food Access For All Americans Act (H.R.1313).

            Tritten notes, “Fast food and liquor store concentration is increasing and access to grocery stores, especially those that are WIC- and SNAP-approved [neighborhoods], are decreasing. This bill would allow for tax credits for operating a new grocery store in a food desert.”

            According to the Food Environment Atlas from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wayne County continues to see an increase in fast-food restaurants, and it is estimated by the Well Being in the Nation Network that 13.84 percent of residents there have low access to grocery stores. Good nutrition and healthy eating are paramount to longevity, lowering the risk of chronic disease, maintaining a healthy weight, supporting healthy pregnancies and supporting the healthy growth and development of children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more information, call 734-545-2267 or visit WashtenawOptimalWellness.org.