Savannah, GA (WSAV) — Food insecurity is described as “the lack of reliable access to affordable, nutritious food in sufficient quantities.”
In 2019, one in eight Georgians was considered food insecure. From 2020 to her 2021, an estimated 6 of her children in Georgia were food insecure.
Healthy Savannah explores the problems in the Savannah and Chatham County areas and what can be done to address them.
“I think the biggest one is what’s called the desert,” said Armand Turner of Healthy Savannah. “Basically, these are community neighborhoods more than a mile away from the grocery store, and you see a lot of individuals, especially African Americans who are less affluent, being forced to eat more nutritious food. I travel far to get good food.”
At Tuesday’s meeting, which was open to the public, city organizations and leaders discussed reviving the city’s Food Policy Council.
“The Food Policy Council has been around for a long time in Savannah and Chatham counties,” Turner said. “But it’s been dormant for the last few years.”
This is a step towards actively combating food insecurity, as much suffering can have lasting health consequences.
“Chronic disease can be associated with people who don’t have nutritious food in their communities,” Turner says. you can see.”
Attendees say they are seeing success with community gardens and mobile food trucks to address accessibility issues as they continue to seek additional partners to sustain the Food Policy Council.