RECENT COMMENTS

Get Fresh East End!

From Tricycle Gardens:

Get Fresh East End! – Healthy Corner Store Launch Event
July 18th 12:00pm – 1:30 pm
Clay Street Market, 501 N 30th Street, Richmond, VA 23223

Come celebrate our official launch of Get Fresh East End! There will be food tastings, information on healthy eating, an unveiling of the logo, a ribbon cutting, and wonderful people to get to know. Clay Street Market, located in Richmond’s historic Church Hill, is hosting the launch of a healthy foods initiative designed to eradicate food deserts. Clay Street Market is one of two pilot corner stores participating in this initiative.

“Richmond’s East End is one of the largest urban food deserts in the United States.” Sally Schwitters, Executive Director of Tricycle Gardens, explains, “Get Fresh eats away at this problem by getting fresh, healthy foods right where people do their daily shopping.”

Studies have shown that 53% of the youth in an urban food desert stop into a corner store at least once per day and 42% shop there more than once. The average caloric intake of each purchase, mostly from processed foods high in fat and refined sugars, is 356 calories.

Richmond’s 7th District Councilwoman Cynthia Newbille stated, “Health outcomes are directly and negatively impacted by a lack of regular access to healthy foods. However, healthy choices can only be made in communities where there are healthy options. Having access to wholesome, local foods can help people eat better, feel better and have better health outcomes.”

The Get Fresh East End! initiative, modeled after the national Healthy Corner Stores Initiative, will increase community access to fresh, affordable, locally grown produce through neighborhood corner stores. Store owners, in partnership with public?private stakeholders, are assisted in expanding their customer base with the implementation of this program.