The USDA estimates that 14 percent of American households struggle with having enough food for an active, healthy life. In the Charlotte region, more than 157,000 people (roughly 18 percent of the population) face food insecurity. According to a sustainability report released by nonprofit environmental advocacy group Sustain Charlotte, between 2005 and 2012, the percentage of households in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) more than doubled from 6 percent to 12.3 percent.
Across the U.S., access to healthy food is a barrier for the 23 million who live in so-called food deserts — neighborhoods where ready access to fresh, affordable food is nonexistent. Currently, the Charlotte region has 60 identified food deserts. Despite the number of farmers’ markets increasing across the county, construction costs for full-service grocery stores and limiting zoning regulations thwart improved food access.
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