Main Street Birmingham takes on urban food deserts

Are you living in an urban food desert? Main Street Birmingham is looking for a healthy way out of these urban spaces, where healthy food choices are limited for many Birmingham residents.

In an on-line survey, you can help Main Street Birmingham learn more about individual and family food shopping options as part of the Urban Food Project. Or, on the same page, if you are a member of a neigbhorhood association or other organization interested in making a difference in food access for all, you can share your interests, your research, your availability as a partner in filling all our urban food deserts with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

With your input, either as an individual or reprsentative of an organization, Main Street Birmingham and nationally known consultant Mari Gallagher can gather the data they need to develop public markets, traveling markets or full-scale grocery stores to meet needs in under-served areas.

Main Street Birmingham uses its expertise as an an engine of economic development in older neighborhoods as it works on this food survey with the Health Action Partnership, as part of the Healthy Kids Healthy Communities initiative. Since 2004, Main Street Birmingham has helped to make possible $7.9 million in development and almost 100 jobs in partnership with new and existing businesses in target areas that range across our community from Woodlawn and Avondale to Ensley.

Click here to find out more as we celebrate Way #9 to love our community. And be sure to take the survey, so your voice can be heard doing more than just crying out for water — and vegetables — in a food desert.