More than enough food is produced each year to end world hunger however as of 2012 according to the USDA, 17% of U.S. households were food "insecure" which means that they occasionally run out of money for food or food entirely. By opening a nonprofit grocery store in partnership with businesses, healthcare, higher education, government programs and other nonprofit organizations; we can create a framework to end food inequality that can be scaled to address this global problem.
In 2010, 10% of Charlotte, NC residents lived in areas known as Food Deserts which according to the CDC "are areas that lack access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, and other foods that make up the full range of a healthy diet." This contributes to issues of hunger, disease, obesity and even childhood development issues. These problems affect the larger society not only resulting in higher healthcare cost but negatively affecting current/future labor forces.
RICs will provide fresh, healthy, affordable food to those with little or no access, along with cooking classes, demonstrations and after school programs, create more than 60 jobs, job training and scholarships to employees and the community at large. By subsidizing the cost of only healthy foods and pairing that with marketing, promotions and education; we will incent people to eat and be healthier.
This project will provide both access and affordability to more than 50,000 people, decrease health related diseases and obesity. Train more than 15 -20 people annually in careers earning over $30,000 and provide over $50,000 in scholarships. The greatest benefit will be a repeatable framework that can be expanded nationwide increasing these values exponentially.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
