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Reply from Melina Garcia Rodriguez
According to an article released in December 2023 by the New York State Department of Health, Rockland County is one of the counties with the highest rates of food deserts in New York State. Financial insecurities are a contributing factor to people’s inability to purchase affordable, fresh, and healthy meals. Everyone deserves to have a nutritious and good-quality meal to bring to their households, and to overcome food insecurities, local governments and nonprofit organizations work collaboratively to fight hunger and help low-income families to have access to more affordable, fresh, and healthy meals.Their goal is to promote healthy eating habits by offering nutritional educational programs to Rockland residents. Health programs like supplemental nutritional assistance (SNAP), farmer’s markets, mobile fresh meal delivery, and food trucks are available to help low-income families have access to nutritious and fresh meals at a low cost.
To fight hunger and overcome food deserts, nonprofit organizations like Rockland Community Hunger and Meals and Wheels help the local authorities distribute food to their residents by segregating it in public places. For people unable to assist to these places due to chronic health issues, fresh food is delivered to their households.
The New York State SNAP and WIC programs offer additional assistance to Rockland residents. Healthy and fresh food is not always accessible and typically costs more than unhealthy food. Therefore, supplementary nutrition assistance is necessary. SNAP and WIC assistance are available for low-income families, pregnant women, and kids under 5 years old. WIC programs also provide nutritional counseling to promote better health.
I have to say that I personally believe that although money plays a vital role in why people cannot afford fresh and healthy food, the hectic and busy lifestyle many families live in this country is also a factor in why people choose unhealthy food over healthy and fresh food.
NY. (n.d.). https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/prevention/injury_prevention/information_for_action/docs/2023-12_ifa_report.pdf
Food Nutrition Program. Touch NY. (2022, April 8). to an
