BELLWOOD FARMS
Why should you care?
You may be wondering, why Bellwood? We're glad you asked. Heres the data:
Bellwood is Considered a Food Desert
According to the USDA, Bellwood, IL is considered a food desert. In the figure to the right the orange boxes represent areas of low income census tracts that are more than ½ mile from the nearest supermarket. This makes these areas low income and low access areas or "food deserts".
By these USDA standards much of Bellwood is considered a food desert as well as many of the surrounding areas, highlighting the expanse of food insecurity in this area.
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Higher Incidence of Diet-Related Illness in Bellwood
According to the CDC, Bellwood and its surrounding areas have higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and general “poor health” than other zip codes of the same county. The cause of these disparities is likely multifactorial (systemic racism and weathering, food access, quality of healthcare and education available, income etc.). Regardless of the cause, access to fresh healthful foods will benefit this population greatly as diabetes, stroke and hypertension are all diet-related diseases.
Bellwood Farms is Meeting a Need
Bellwood is a vibrant community with a rich history and much to offer. However, as shown here, a lack of investment, infrastructure, and access to nutritious foods poses significant challenges. Bellwood Farms is committed to addressing food insecurity and reducing diet-related diseases by providing convenient and affordable access to fresh, local produce. If you'd like to support our mission financially, please consider making a donation here.
