Food Deserts by census tract in Portland, Oregon.
Source: United States Dept. of Agriculture food desert locator.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines
food deserts as: “parts of the country vapid of fresh fruits, vegetables, and
other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas. This is
largely due to a lack of grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and healthy food
providers.”
The above map from the USDA’s interactive Food Desert Locator
shows that large portions of the Portland metropolitan area (when measured by
census tract) meet Food Desert criteria as they have low access and low income where
“a significant number of share of residents are more than a half mile from the
nearest supermarket.”
If you reside in a Portland area food desert what can you
do?
The Oregon Food Bank and ride sharing service Lyft have
partnered to offer subsidized rides to grocery stores for the cost of a bus
ticket, or up to $15. The Lyft Grocery Access Program seeks to “reduce the
time, transportation, and financial barriers to healthy food access,” according
to Lyft.
For information on how to access the Lyft GAP program visit:
or,
To learn more about Food Deserts and access the USDA’s
interactive Food Desert Locator visit:
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