Family Health Center helps bring some relief to Earle ‘food desert’

Family Health Center helps bring some relief to Earle ‘food desert’

Producing smiles with fresh produce

news@theeveningtimes.com

East Arkansas Family Health Center CEO Dr.

Susan Ward Jones recognizes the unmet needs in the Earle community.

“With the closing of their only grocery store several years ago, residents are unable to purchase fruits and veggies in their own community,” said Ward-Jones.

“Residents must travel 20 miles or more to the nearest grocery store to purchase these grocery items.”

The unavailability of groceries has resulted in Earle

The Earle branch of the East Arkansas Family Health Center network filled the pantries of 20 families, selected from patients at the center, donating bags for fresh produce.

Submitted photos being designated as a “food desert.” As defined by the USDA, a food deserts is any populated part of the country devoid of fresh fruit, vegetables, or other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas. This is largely due to a lack of grocery stores, farmers' markets, and healthy food providers.

To help fill a part of that need, the Earle branch of the Family Health Center network chose 20 families from among the patients at the health center to receive fresh fruit and veggie bags. The health center absorbed the cost of the food items.

The Earle Site Manager Sonya Lampley, along with EAFHC Director of Development

Gloria Gilliam and

Outreach Coordinator Shuntrelle Drake, presented the bags of fresh produce to the patients earlier in the week. Products were purchased from the Chesapeake Farms Organic Bakery of Earle.

“This was something we were moved to do for the people in the community,” said Gilliam. “This is just the start. We hope to do it again soon and hope we are able to do more.”

By Ralph Hardin