The People's Money (2022-2023)

What problem would you like to solve?

Bronx Eats, Inc. in partnership with Bronx Night Market, will focus on food insecurity and increasing plant-based cooking knowledge in the Melrose and Mott Haven neighborhoods of the Bronx.

The Bronx is ranked (External link)#62 (External link)  out of 62 counties for worst health in NY state for the past 13 years. COVID and mortality rates are highest in the Bronx compared to the rest of NYC. Food insecurity in the Bronx is a crisis of epidemic proportions and a central obstacle to personal and public health. Most Bronx neighborhoods, especially Mott Haven and Melrose, do not offer access to enough fresh produce which we know is vital for achieving optimal health and preventing and even reversing disease. The Bronx has some of the very highest rates of diet-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and others. And yet, in the very same place, the Bronx is home to Hunt’s Point Market, the largest food distribution center of its kind in the world, earning annual revenues of over $2 billion. The Bronx is also surrounded by other wealthier neighborhoods, boroughs, and counties that have five times more supermarkets and far fewer fast food outlets than the Bronx; communities in the Bronx have been intentionally divested of resources. 

Bronx Eats, in partnership with Bronx Night Market, will increase plant-based, nutritious, scratch-cooking education in schools and provide increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables by establishing food festivals and pop-up events. Cooking education and increased access to fresh produce have been shown to empower people to improve their diets, reduce consumption of ultra-processed and fast foods, reshape their food preferences, and create a paradigm for community wellness that includes fresh produce, green markets, co-ops, and community gardens.

Bronx Eats has the local credibility and track record to transform food deserts into food sanctuaries by shortening the supply chain, and creating access to fresh produce, local products, and vegan food within Bronx neighborhoods while also inspiring Bronxites to cook healthier plant-based food at home.

Why is it important to solve? Why is it relevant for the community?

Bronxites deserve to grow, advance, and prosper in every avenue of life. Access to healthy and nutrient-dense food is required in order to survive, thrive, and reach our potential. If health is not maintained, neighborhoods have no workforce and human resources are squandered, in addition to putting stress on the healthcare system. Food is not only medicine but also a great means of community building. 

We are wasting human resources in the Bronx by depriving people of access to healthy, culturally appropriate, nutritious food, and the skills to prepare it. This can change with an infusion of plant-based cooking education and increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The strength, health, and wellness of Bronx communities depend on this public health upgrade. Food is a basic human right that Bronxites deserve.

What idea do you have to address the problem?

Bronx Eats will work with school administrators and teachers to create educational plant-based cooking programs using a "learn and repeat" model, in Mott Haven and Melrose schools, taught by local NYC chefs, including tasters and recipe distribution to all participants. Bronx Eats has well-established relationships with local charter schools in the South Bronx (e.g. FLACS, Brilla College Prep, and Lion Charter School). Also, the Edible Academy at the Bronx Botanical Garden will be part of the collaboration to increase hands-on food education, including growing and eating healthy fruits and vegetables. Bronx Eats will also train and hire ambassadors to expand on the educational programming that it is already providing.

Who would that help?

High-need and POC Bronxites, including children. The Bronx will become a place of opportunity, food access, and abundance rather than the quintessential example of a racialized food system. Bronx Eats will catalyze Bronxites to feel more empowered in the kitchen, take control of their diets, advance public health, and increase plant-based eating and education on a personal and community-wide level. Bronx Eats will engage every sector of the Bronx community in building a healthier food ecosystem that supports local businesses, creates jobs, improves overall health and wellness, and motivates community boards to advocate for its mission.

What neighborhood would benefit from your idea?

Mott Haven and Melrose