Combatting food deserts and nutrition insecurity in Peoria County
Despite being home to numerous food banks and agricultural producers, Peoria County residents have consistently grappled with access to nutritious, affordable food.
More people have less access to food in Peoria County compared to previous years, especially people of color. While the numbers support these statements, one crucial part of finding a solution is emerging: feedback from real people facing these exact issues.
Rich in resources and funding
The number of people living in food deserts increased from 2015 to 2019, rising by 17%, from 115,359 to 135,017, according to an analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. People living in food deserts have limited access to affordable, healthy food options and are forced to travel a greater distance to reach a grocery store, or they have to rely on other means to obtain food.
Julie Eliathamby, founder of Peoria Grown, a nonprofit organization addressing food insecurity, said that food accessibility shouldn’t be an issue in the Peoria area.
“I truly believe that in Peoria, we shouldn’t have hunger. We shouldn’t have nutrition insecurity. Peoria is rich [in resources and funding].' We have so much money that’s not concentrated on the right things,” Eliathamby said. “At the end of the day, that is doing a huge disservice to our families.”
Marginalized populations
Some communities in Peoria County face food insecurity much more severely than others–particularly the Black and Hispanic communities.
In 2019, the number of Black Peoria County residents living in food deserts increased nearly 24% since 2015, followed by Hispanics at a 16.5% increase.
One area that suffers the most from food and nutrition insecurity is South Peoria, which is where many African-American and Latino families call home. As businesses and people continue to move out of the area, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage living there, although it’s the only choice many long-time residents have.
Grocery stores struggle to stay afloat on the South Side. For decades, one of Peoria’s poorest neighborhoods hasn't been able to experience the consistency of having a place to purchase food items. The neighborhood has seen the closures of stores such as Kroger, Save-a-Lot and Aldi, all of which have no problem thriving in other surrounding areas.
“We can’t suddenly take things away from a neighborhood and expect it to flourish,” Eliathamby said. “We have left a whole demographic of people behind, and we haven’t ensured that we create equal opportunities for them.”
Transportation
Without access to a vehicle, shopping for food becomes even more difficult and expensive. The number of housing units in Peoria County without a vehicle has jumped from 7,062 in 2015 to 7,540 in 2019, an increase of 6.8%.
Fewer people having access to a vehicle means that more people have to rely on the closest food sources, which tend to be convenience stores, fast food restaurants and gas stations.
“If you’re having to buy your groceries at convenience stores, gas stations and places like that, it is usually quite a bit more expensive,” said Dr. Teresa Drake, registered dietitian and master certified health education specialist. “You have less variety and it’s almost all processed, so you’re not going to get many of the vitamins and minerals that you need.”
Market 309
Seeing the void that was present in South Peoria and other locations in the Peoria area, Eliathamby and her team formed Market 309, weekly pop-up markets that sell affordable produce in centralized locations. According to Eliathamby, many Market 309 shoppers walk and carpool, particularly in the warmer months.
Eliathamby said that although under-served neighborhoods often cannot sustain a full-time grocery store, they are still in need of fresh, nutritious foods. At Market 309, community members are given that opportunity, as well as the freedom of choice and variety.
Some food items include fresh fruit and vegetables, starches, juice, eggs and milk. With $10, shoppers can buy up to 10 different types of produce–whereas at a Walmart or Kroger, this amount may only get them two or three items.
Week after week, as Market 309 continues to flourish and open new pop-up locations, shoppers continue to show up and buy out the large selection of produce–sometimes in less than an hour.
“They’re telling us, ‘We want this kind of food,’” Eliathamby said. “They’re making the trip and they’re paying for it. They’re telling us, ‘This is what we need more of.’”
By getting input from community members, Peoria Grown’s Market 309 is able to provide an array of healthy food that families want and need to thrive.
“We ensure that every decision and everything we do that’s going to impact our families–we run it by them,” Eliathamby said.
Fresh food and food choice is essential
Food pantries and food banks are designed to do primarily one thing: get food into the hands of individuals and families that need it. However, these organizations tend to prioritize quantity of food over quality.
“If you look at what we push out [to the community], the majority of it is very processed and high in sugar content because that is what’s easy to give,” Eliathamby said. “Nutrition is almost like an afterthought, not a priority.”
When produce is handed out at food pantries, people are sometimes given the same products, regardless of their culture, preferences, allergies or health conditions. This can lead to more food waste.
Eating the right type and amount of food becomes even more difficult when individuals suffer from health issues such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Drake said that a person’s needs vary incredibly depending on the condition they have and the health care that is available to them.
“Someone with diabetes really has to pay attention to all of the different carbohydrates they are getting and when they get them,” Drake said. “Hopefully, along with their diagnosis, they would get a referral to a registered dietitian, but that doesn’t always happen, so figuring out what to eat to be healthier gets complicated.”
SNAP benefits
Another piece of the nutrition puzzle for the area is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps people with low income purchase the food they need but are unable to afford.
In 2019, 10,741 households in Peoria County received SNAP benefits, compared to 9,579 in 2015, a nearly 11% increase. As more people rely on SNAP to feed their families, more ways to stretch their food dollars continue to emerge–such as participants in the Link Match program.
The Link Match program gives shoppers a $1-for-$1 match for SNAP purchases, essentially doubling shoppers’ spending budget. Many markets, including Market 309, take Link Match as it allows them to reach a more diverse consumer base and benefit the overall health of the community.
Moving forward
Eliathamby says that Peoria needs to make changes in order to save its community.
“Continuing to feed our families the same way we have is not helping them. When you are limited in what you can and cannot get, you’ll take what you can,” Eliathamby said.
In order to reduce food and nutrition insecurity, Eliathamby recommends a number of adaptations:
CHANGE HOW WE FEED
The nutrition content of food items should be the highest priority.
All communities deserve to have access to food that is affordable and healthy.
UNDERSTAND BARRIERS
It is easy to judge when you aren’t in a difficult situation.
Understand the barriers families are facing by taking on a new perspective.
PROVIDE EDUCATION
Experts can provide education on nutrition content and cooking during classes. It is essential that these core principles are taught, rather than spending time and funding on teaching budgeting classes.
Dietitians possess the knowledge that can be passed on to communities. However, the field is primarily made of White experts. Increasing the number of dietitians of color will allow for more diversity in teaching and learning.
RECEIVE FUNDING
To continue to address key issues, funding is necessary.
Nonprofit groups such as Peoria Grown have struggled to obtain funding in order to continue providing for marginalized communities and areas. Higher-up powers need to get involved, such as city governments.
Click here to learn more about Peoria Grown and Market 309
this is an important topic! very well written