food deserts

Can Star Power Make New Orleans' Food Deserts Bloom?

ELIZA BARCLAY — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:04:44 +0000

Plenty of celebrities leverage their star power to raise awareness of complicated food issues. Some of the biggest names include Michelle Obama, Jamie Oliver, Prince Charles and Paul McCartney.

Down in New Orleans, actor Wendell Pierce, who stars in David Simon's Treme and, previously, The Wire, has been taking on food insecurity in low-income communities with brand new convenience stores.

Wendell Pierce On 'Making Groceries' In The Big Easy

Michel Martin — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:57:00 +0000

New Orleans might be famous for its culinary legacy, but the Big Easy also has neighborhoods without access to fresh, healthy food. Now actor Wendell Pierce is bringing grocery stores to some neglected parts of his home town. Host Michel Martin speaks with Pierce about his new grocery chain, Sterling Farms.

Lower Ninth Ward Releases Plan For Getting Fresh Food

Eileen Fleming — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

A community effort to establish a fresh-food market in the Lower Ninth Ward is taking shape. The first step is in a new plan written by residents.

New Life Planned for Abandoned Supermarket

The Associated Press — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 23:33:29 +0000

Plans to redevelop a long-abandoned New Orleans supermarket will include help from the city.

Grocery Store For-A-Day!

Sharon Litwin — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 22:59:42 +0000

In recent years, the districts, neighborhoods, and towns that have little access to healthy foods have been dubbed "food deserts." Because some of New Orleans' lowest-income neighborhoods suffer from this situation, the Lower Ninth Ward Food Access Coalition is hosting a Grocery Store For-A-Day! event to help alleviate the problem.

The Korean-American Story Of Yes! Organic Market

Michel Martin — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 21:37:00 +0000

Gary Cha and his family came to the U.S. from South Korea in the 1970s. They opened Yes! Organic Markets in food deserts and other unlikely neighborhoods around Washington, D.C. and Maryland. Cha speaks with host Michel Martin about his heritage, his business and racial tension between some Asian store-owners and African-American residents.

Filling In New Orleans' Future, One Blank At A Time

Debbie Elliott — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 20:33:00 +0000

New Orleans became a blank slate after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. And ever since, entrepreneurs have rushed in to experiment with new ideas for building and running a city.

Among them is a startup called Neighborland.com, a social media tool for sharing ideas to make your neighborhood better. After signing in to Neighborland, you can find your neighborhood and post your idea.

Bringing fresh food to everyone in New Orleans

Tess Vigeland | Marketplace Money — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

You loved him as Detective William "Bunk" Moreland on "The Wire." You may also know him as the trombone-playing Antoine Batiste from HBO's "Treme."