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Garden of Eatin' #feed3rdWard

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A food desert is a low-income census tract where either a substantial number or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store. "Low income" tracts are defined as those where at least 20 percent of the people have income at or below the federal poverty levels for family size, or where median family income for the tract is at or below 80 percent of the surrounding area's median family income. 

In Houston, the majority of the food deserts are on the east side of town, which has the city’s highest concentration of Black and Brown residents. The residents in 3rd Ward, 5th Ward, Sunnyside, and surrounding communities also have the highest rates of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other lifestyle related diseases that are killing minorities at an alarming numbers.  These diseases are almost completely avoidable and reversible with proper diet and lifestyle changes. 

The Garden of Eatin’ has designed a way to bridge the gap to healthy food and education in our poorest communities.  Our goal is to bring organic food – produce, grains, nuts, and seeds to under served communities, at the fraction of the cost of big-box-stores.  By sourcing directly from Black-owned and urban farms, we’ll help bring dollars back to the communities that need us and feed us. 

Our bus will be designed with an entrance exclusive for market customers where they can browse the shelves and refrigerators to shop for non-gmo grocery items.  Customers will have their pick of the freshest produce hand-selected by our staff.  We will be going directly into neighborhoods where residents may or may not have transportation of their own, and driving down residential blocks. Customers can follow us on Instagram to know our location in real-time or download a market schedule from our website.


Our bus will also feature organic smoothies, fresh juices and ready to eat plant-based sandwiches and sauces, for those who need a quick and healthy meal. Like a traditional food truck, patrons will be able to line up – under a shady awning, and order a custom drink for the hot Houston days.

We’ve purchased a 1994 Bluebird International 72 passenger bus and are raising funds to renovate it. It will be retro-fitted to resemble a traditional grocery store (sans push carts), with a checkout that accepts EBT, cash and credit, as well as a 70s-themed counter for ordering drinks and light bites. Our goal is to hit the streets of Houston by mid-October 2020.


Will you help us bring quality food to poor neighborhoods in a practical and affordable manner? Your donation will help us #feed3rdWard
 
Owner, Lavi Reid and chef Gayane,  from The Plated Plant, a plant-based nutrition company that specializes in local meal prep and dietary education, have spent years counseling clients and helping them lose weight, reverse diseases and start the journey to health through food. We've implemented hands on strategies like cooking classes, in-home meal prep, seminars and a children's educational program called MedicalMissionaryKids.org. Learn more at www.PlatedPlantOnline.com

Organizer

LaVerne Reid
Organizer
Houston, TX

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