Why We Work

Food insecurity, or a lack of access to affordable healthy food, disproportionately affects residents of Wards 7 and 8 in Washington, D.C. While the average American family spends about 13 percent of its income on food, a family living at the poverty level spends about one-third of its income on food. Lack of access to healthy food also leads to poor health outcomes such as chronic disease and obesity.

Food deserts can be described as geographic areas with limited or nonexistent options for healthy food. While 50 percent of youth live in Wards 7 and 8, less than 10 percent of the District’s grocery stores are located there.