Growing up in Fort Myers, Florida
my experience with food access in security shifted significantly. The neighborhood
my family lived in was a mixture of Hispanic and African Americans. I can recall
that many of grocery stores where located just north of my neighborhood, many
of which were locally owned. The locally
owned stores where forced to close as chained stores, like Publix and Win-Dixie
were located within 3 miles on this stretch road north of my neighborhood. Recently
these stores have moved outside of this centralized location and opened new
stores in more affluent neighborhoods. This recent shift, has turn what was primarily
accessible food to forcing man people to travel longer distances. In this week’s
reading food deserts and accessibility where viewed critically from a spatial
and mobile perspective. Considering how heavily auto dependent many cities are,
I like Clifton, feel as though there should be more emphasis on spatial development
within neighborhoods that provide many modes of transportation and access to
healthy food.
I like smaller grocery stores that provide an alternative to the large supermarkets. It is a shame that small stores have a hard time surviving when a large chain moves into the area. If you live far from stores like Publix and Winn-Dixie, those stores are only beneficial to you if you own a car. If you don't own a car, a smaller neighborhood store is the best alternative.
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