Unfruitful: 'Food Prices Go Up,' Grocery Stores Spread Out, and Transportation is Tough
Por Luke Zarzecki
lzarzecki@coloradocommunitymedia.com
On a warm August morning, the line at Growing Home's food pantry is already long. People start gathering at the back of the building in Westminster up to two hours before the doors open. They're there to shop for nutritious foods they otherwise struggle to afford.
Richard Cruz y Cassandra Crockett están entre los que han venido en busca de ayuda. Viven juntos en Thornton. Cruz trabaja a tiempo completo como conductor de entrega. Crockett solía trabajar a tiempo completo como chef, pero tuvo que dejar de hacerlo debido a una discapacidad y tuvo problemas con el seguro de salud.
"It was just too much and I couldn't get my medicine and you have to wait so many days to get on insurance. This time, it broke me down," Crockett said.
Even with Cruz putting in extra hours, the couple rely on Growing Home's food pantry. They have two kids at home.
"Everytime you go to the store, food prices go up," Cruz said.
Los dos descubren formas de estirar lo que tienen.
"Always have a bag of potatoes," said Cruz.
Cruz and Crockett aren't alone.
Uno de cada ocho residentes y uno de cada cinco niños en el condado circundante de Adams enfrentan inseguridad alimentaria, según el Departamento de Salud local.
El condado de Adams incluye Northglenn, Thornton, Westminster y una amplia gama de suburbios y áreas rurales.
Los precios de los alimentos aumentaron un 10,3% en 2022, según la Oficina de Estadísticas Laborales de Estados Unidos, que rastrea la inflación. Y, en el primer semestre de 2023, aumentaron un 8,2%.
In addition to prices, distance is a factor in getting good food. For Cruz and Crockett, the closest grocery store is five minutes' drive away. But without a car, it's at least a 20 minute walk each way.
Afortunadamente, pueden usar su automóvil.
Al igual que Cruz y Crockett, en toda la región, hay bolsillos donde los residentes deben viajar más de una milla para llegar a una tienda de comestibles como King Soopers, Safeway o Walmart. En algunos casos, esa distancia puede estar más cerca de 2-3 millas.
Puede que no suene tan lejos, pero una milla puede ser la diferencia entre el acceso regular a alimentos nutritivos, el acceso limitado o ninguno en absoluto.
Many in need can't afford cars or can't drive for other reasons — including their health — and options like cabs or rideshare apps can eat up the limited funds they have for food. Public transportation options are limited and difficult for people to rely on, particularly those who have disabilities, limited mobility or children.
"If you've ever bought your groceries and tried to take them on a bus, that is incredibly challenging," said Rachel Sinley, associate professor of nutrition at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
It all adds up to a situation where some residents across the county live in "food deserts," she said. Those are areas where there is no or limited access to healthful, nutritious, affordable food.
Los desiertos alimentarios consisten en tres grandes barreras: ingresos, transporte y acceso.
It's defined by government sources as an urban area where 33% of the people living in a census tract reside more than one mile from a supermarket or other food source. For rural areas, the defined distance is 10 miles.
"For a lot of suburban areas, a mile is still pretty far if you don't have access to reliable public transportation or access to transportation," Sinley said.
Sin embargo, las definiciones son limitantes. Un área con más supermercados pero menos acceso a un transporte confiable puede ser tanto un desierto de alimentos como un área con menos supermercados pero mejores opciones de transporte, dijo.
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