Sunday Rally to Protest "Food Deserts"

A "food desert," by definition, is a geographic area with no or distant grocery stores served by a plethora of fast food restaurants. An estimated 500,000 Chicago residents live in a food desert and the health implications can be staggering.

September is "National Food Desert Awareness Month." Sunday morning at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Roseland (211 E. 115th St.), which is a food desert itself, a rally will be held to raise awareness to the predicament and encourage local residents to pledge to eat healthy. Scheduled to attend is Dr. Terry Mason, Commissioner of the City Department of Public Health. Local organic food distributor Goodness Greeness will also be on hand passing out 1,300 Pink Pearl apples as a reminder of the link between fresh foods and good health.

The rally begins at 2 p.m.

(Previous Chicagoist coverage on food deserts.)