A “food swamp” is a neighborhood where high-calorie junk food is more accessible than healthy food. According to City Limits, the highest quantity of fast-food chains in New York City is not in tourist-heavy destinations like Times Square or Midtown Manhattan. Instead, fast-food chains in New York City are most prevalent in the low-income outskirts of Brooklyn.
Central Brooklyn is ranked sixth nationally for food hardship. With rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes exceeding state and city averages, it is no coincidence that communities of color face significant health challenges.
Access to fresh fruits and vegetables is the cornerstone of a healthy, active community. This PSA from the Center for Healthy Neighborhoods (CHN) aims to raise awareness about local farmers’ markets and encourages Central Brooklynites to buy fresh, buy healthy and buy locally.
The Center for Healthy Neighborhoods (CHN) promotes healthy eating and lifestyles in Central Brooklyn. Through multiple initiatives supported by public and private institutions, they are able to connect thousands of residents to exercise classes & events, access to nutritious food, and equity in the distribution of foods to under served populations. Since 2014, the Center for Healthy Neighborhoods (CHN) has annually served over 50,000 Central Brooklyn residents with locally sourced produce.
The Center for Healthy Neighborhoods is housed within the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation. Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation relentlessly pursues strategies to close gaps in family and community wealth to ensure all families in Central Brooklyn are prosperous and healthy.