
While inflation continues to be an issue across the country, some parts of Tallahassee face an even bigger threat —food insecurity.
House Bill 89 introduces a new initiative that will facilitate development permits to increase the availability of food options.
It’s a crisis that doesn’t make headlines every day but affects thousands of families, students and workers across the city. It’s an issue that, despite the city’s progress, continues to leave many of its residents hungry and without reliable access to nutritious meals.
The Leon County policy brief states that in 2019, more than 55,000 people were considered “food insecure.” The average meal costs around $4.
Shortly after the pandemic, the number doubled, with almost 100,000 residents experiencing hunger. The six-county Big Bend area suffers as over 30% of its citizens are still in need of food assistance. Every day, it’s a fight to find socially acceptable, GMO-free and sustainable food that doesn’t break the bank.
With a poverty rate of 20% and a median family income below 80%, Tallahassee has become a high-risk food desert.
Many families in urban neighborhoods live more than one mile from a supermarket while those in rural communities are as much as 80 miles away from a grocery store.
According to a recent report by Feeding Florida, more than 13% of the population in Leon County, which includes Tallahassee, faces food insecurity. For many, the situation is exacerbated by the rising costs of living, stagnant wages and, in some cases, the lack of reliable access to transportation. What’s even more difficult is that food insecurity is often invisible
The bill, filed in early January, will grant underdeveloped areas with nutrient-dense food permits. Nutrient-dense food has a high level of nutrients with a healthy calorie ratio. Examples include but are not limited to whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and low-fat dairy products.
The plan for the bill would be to place a grocery store that will prioritize operating in food-insecure areas and selling products at wholesale prices. The hope for the bill is to increase food security without costing students and families in the area excessive amounts of money.
“It’s a hassle as a student who lives on campus. The nearest grocery store is Publix which adheres to high-priced organic food. I’m a college student, I just need essentials without breaking the bank,” said Ashley Bigbee, a junior journalism student at FAMU.
It’s a slow and steady race to reach full food security but many local residents are hoping bills like HB 89 will achieve what seems impossible. Every meal distributed, every student who receives help, and every community member who lends a hand brings the city one step closer to ensuring that no one has to wonder where their next meal will come from.