Not as Cold as You Might Think: Syracuse, NY, a Food Desert
- hirstmj6
- Jun 23, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 1, 2023
Syracuse: the Salt City. It has gained quite the title due to its history of salt mining. However, the most pressing issue in this area today runs deeper than that. The inner city has grown into a food desert more and more recently, which exacerbates the issues faced daily by the large number of people already in poverty in the city.
While having a meeting with Professor Jane Burrell of Syracuse University's Falk College of Sport & Human Dynamics, Professor Burrell and I discussed the strife that a lack of access to high quality food exerts on the area's population. Those with lower incomes must rely on corner shops and convenience stores in their neighborhoods to purchase foods since grocery stores are few and far between. For instance, the closest Tops Friendly Market, a major grocer in New York, is about 2 miles from downtown. Although possible, obtaining quality nutrition is thus far from easy since many residents are using their feet as the primary means of transportation. Thus, convenience stores and gas stations, no matter how "convenient" one may believe them to be, leave many people lacking high-quality nutrition. This processed, lower caliber nutrition correlates with a host of worse health outcomes for the city of Syracuse compared to Onondaga County as well as the state of New York as a whole. For instance, rates of premature (before age 65) deaths, preventable hospitalizations for adults, short-term diabetes-related ER visits for adults, and asthma-related ER visits for all ages were all noticeably higher for the city of Syracuse itself (City of Syracuse Health Equity Report, data from 2016-2018). The "food desert" is even affecting the reproductive outcomes for that area, as the rate of low birthweight births was almost 3% higher for the city as opposed to the county and state as a whole. Contrarily, those raised in more affluent households have better access to high-quality foods from the outset, and the foods eaten in childhood tend to be the foods eaten in adulthood. Therefore, this population is more likely to have access to healthier options; they also have access to more education, which helps increase awareness, thus encouraging better eating. The cycle continues even further: those with higher education levels also have higher incomes, which gives them a "leg up" in terms of accessing foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, which tend to be more expensive.
Unfortunately, this situation is taking a toll on the youth of Syracuse as well. Although city schools provide federally-directed, state-funded, from-scratch breakfasts and lunches for students, this leaves kids without the program during the summer months. What about Syracuse University itself? Well, it is outside of the inner city, so it technically escapes the "desert" area. However, many students living there come from lower-income backgrounds, which leads numerous students to forgo the SU meal plan. Consequently, they too lack adequate nutrition, relying on the small shops downtown for food instead.
There is some good news, though. SU has started a food pantry for its students. While talking with Kaleya Scott, Engagement Coordinator for Hendricks Chapel at SU; Dara Harper, Communications Manager at Hendricks Chapel; and Dean Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, Associate Dean at Hendricks Chapel, I learned about the beautiful opportunity that this option provides
students. I even got to tour the pantry, filled with nutritious options for students struggling financially. However, the program is sadly not yet known by the whole student body, as Ms. Scott said some students have been surprised to learn that it exists. Further, a local area farm, Brady Farm, offers high-quality, organic, carefully-grown produce at a lower price. I was fortunate enough to spend an afternoon volunteering at the farm (which is beautiful!), and it was great to learn that access to such produce is a blessing for many people struggling with food insecurities.
All-in-all, the nutritional situation in Syracuse is marred by difficulties in terms of access to good food, which is taking a large toll on the health of the population living in the city, and even on many Syracuse University students. Yet, with resources such as the Brady Farm and the SU Food Pantry at hand, there is a positive outlook for the future. I am also hopeful to see the findings that the SU Food Studies Program, which works on community engagement in terms of nutrition, brings to the table. These assets to the area can bring a much-needed smile to the face of Syracuse.
Sources:
Brady Farm
Jane Burrell, M.S., RD, CDN
Associate Teaching Professor
Nutrition and Food Studies
Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
Syracuse University
Dara Harper
Communications Manager
Hendricks Chapel
Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz
Associate Dean
Hendricks Chapel
Kaleya Scott
Engagement Coordinator
Hendricks Chapel
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