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JoJoOx19NealPROGRAMSUCCESSx13MAY2012PAGE17IsthereaFoodDesertnearyourCommunityMaybe.ThefactismillionsofAmericansliveinwhattheUSDAdefinesasaFoodDesertalow-incomecensustractwhoseresidentshavelowaccesstoasupermarketorlargegrocerystore.ToseewheretheclosestfooddesertistoyourhomechecktheUSDAx19sinteractivemaphttpwww.ers.usda.govDataFoodDesertfooddesert.htmlNutritionhasbeenacoreelementofTheJuniorLeaguex19sMissiongoingallthewaybacktoMaryHarrimanandherworkwithpoorimmigrantfamiliesinNewYorkCity110yearsago.TheKidsintheKitchenprogramisAJLIx19ssignatureprogramonfightingchildhoodobesityofcoursebutindividualLeaguesarefindingawidearrayofwaystotacklenutritionissuesfromeducationalprogramstoprovidingneedychildrenwithbackpacksfullofhealthyfoodtobringhomeforweekendsandvacations.TheJuniorLeagueofGreaterOrlandoistacklingtheproblemfromawiderperspectivethathasthepotentialtocreatex1clastingcommunityimpactx1dacrossallofFloridathe4thlargeststateinpopulationandoneofthemostdenselypopulated.Thehoped-forsolutionbringinvestmentinfresh-foodretailingintoFloridax19spoorestneighborhoods.Althoughthestateisthesourceofmuchofthenationx19sfreshfruitandvegetablessaysJLGOmemberKatherineMartinx1cThereisagreatneedinFloridatobringhealthyfoodintofooddesertshere.Ihaveworkedinlow-incomecommunitieswherechildrendidnotknowwhataredpepperlookslikeandhadnevertastedyogurt.Justhavingaccesstohealthyfoodinschoolsisnotenough.x1dFoodinsecurityisaprobleminJLGOx19scorecommunityx13OrlandoandsurroundingOrangeCountyhavenearly44000peoplewholiveinfoodinsecurehomeswithmorethanaquarterofthemchildrenx13butalsoFloridaasawhole.TheLeaguesaysthat17.5ofchildrenthereliveinfoodinsecurehomesandthatmorethan27.5ofallFloridiansarefoodinsecure.SoJLGOwentforasolutionoratleastthestartofonethataddressestheproblemfromastatewideperspectiveratherthanjustanOrlandoperspective.TothatendJLGOworkedwithSenatorGarySiplinwhointroducedSenateBill852intheFloridaSenate.Thebillprovidescriticalone-timegrantandloanfinancingtohelpfreshfoodretailersovercomethehigherinitialbarriersintounderservedlow-incomecommunitiesandalsosupportsrenovationandexpansionofexistingstoressotheycanprovidethehealthyfoodsthatcommunitieswantandneed.AmajorfirststepinitsultimatepassagecameinJanuarywiththeunanimousapprovalofthebillbytheSenateAgricultureCommitteesendingittotheSenateBudgetSubcommitteeonGeneralGovernmentAppropriations.RecentlylanguagefromSenateBill852wasalsoadoptedbySenatorRondaStormswhoamendedherSenateBill1658toincludetheHealthyFoodRetailActwhichhopestoincreasechancesofthebillpassingoutoftheSenateandintotheHouse.WillSenateBill852ultimatelypassandbecomelawTimewilltell.Butthisinitiativeisanimportantpartx13butbynomeanstheonlyonex13ofJLGOx19snewcorecauseChildhoodHealthHungerandPoverty.StateSenatorGarySiplinandmembersofTheJuniorLeagueofGreatrrOrlando