Progress Report on Bronx Healthy Eating Project Week2

This week I visited two South Bronx Bodegas to find out if they are participants in the Bodega healthy foods initiative. The first one I visited was in the West Tremont section of the Bronx. It's owned by Carmela Soto (40) who has been in the area for over a decade. Her daughter Keily Soto (24), who volunteers at the store translated our conversation and also spoke about her experience working there. She said the most popular foods there are hot meals specifically Dominican food. They said a representative from the Bodega program, (she was not specific about which organization he came from) came to tell them about the program and invited Mrs. Soto to an orientation but left out the details. He told her he would come back but he never did. Mrs. Soto and her husband have included healthy food items in their store. In the summer they have a fruits and vegetable stand and offer fresh-squeezed juice. Their most popular juice is the sugarcane juice that runs for $4 a cup. Her husband goes out every few weeks to speak to distributors and buys the fresh produce himself. They said it is expensive but it's something they feel good about doing for their community. I also visited Makey Deli Grocery on 2704 Third Avenue and spoke to the owner William Troncoso. Mr. Troncoso has a mini-fridge full of vegetables and fruits, as well as a display of bananas on the counter and by the front door going for 99 cents a pound. He says he heard about the program when he attended an event at the nearby school, South Bronx Preparatory. Then a representative from City Harvest came to his store and gave him a blender he uses to make smoothies. He says the program is good but it's very expensive. At first, the community was excited about it but the people who came to buy healthier foods stopped coming because of the cost. He says the two most popular items are cigarettes and bear. He went to buy a box of lemons and said they usually go for 25-30 dollars, the day I visited they were $60. It's hard to stock up the fresh produce because of the expense but he cuts corners by cutting up some of the fruit and selling them in pieces. However, there is a silver lining. Some of the kids from the school set up a stand in the summer and help sell some of the fruits! They do it on their own and free of charge.  I got in contact with one of the organizations involved, BronxHealthReach  and they want to tell me more about the program. They are holding an event for students and parents tonight that I'm planning on going to. Also, I'll call the school up and see if they can get me in contact with these kids who sell in front of Mr. Troncosco's store. I reached out to the Bodega Association but they did not respond. I'm planning on going to their location if I need to after speaking with a nutritionist from BronxHealthReach. I'm hoping to speak to some kids and their parents tonight. Remember that urban planner that worked with the Bronx Salad people? I'm going to reach out to him after sending this to get his explanation of why the Bronx is known as a food desert and if there is a map or any numerical data that prove this point.

Progress Report on South Bronx Healthy Eating Project Week 1

Topic: Healthy eating in the South Bronx.

            I am looking at how the South Bronx community is changing the systemic cycle of unhealthy eating by targeting the youth within the communities. 

This week I worked on finding sources for the project and also sharpening my focus. Henry Obispo the founder of UBC which is a chain of restaurants in the South Bronx and the creator of the Bronx salad traveled overseas and returned this morning. We are now scheduling time to talk sometime this week. He updated me on the 20 healthy foods he wants to launch. He hasn’t launched them yet but he wants to talk to me about them. I will find out what they are, when and where they will be available. I also looked into the Mott Haven jail proposal. The proposed jail will be located at 320 Concord Avenue. I read an article and found a few people who live in the area commented below. I sent them messages and I’m waiting for a response. This week I am planning on going to that area to speak with the local bodegas/supermarket managers/street fresh food vendors about the proposal and hopefully they can talk about it and lead me to some great characters. I will try to go to the SoBro hydroponics class on Friday and either observe a class or schedule time to follow Brandon Diop to one of the Bronx schools he instructs.