Dear Fellow Citizen, 

I write to you today to propose that every citizen of the District of Columbia have access to grocery stores that provide fresh produce and other items that are essential to maintaining a healthy diet.  Wards in DC, particularly wards seven and eight are without convenient access to a grocery store.  Instead, families rely on processed and highly caloric foods sold at local convenience stores.  With DC being among the top five states with the highest diabetes rate and with the prevalence of obesity increasing nation wide, I assert that access to healthier food would help to change these trends in DC.  In Philadelphia, Fresh Grocer has opened up stores in some of the neighborhoods most in need of grocery stores.  With Philadelphia and Fresh Grocer setting a precedent, it is time that DC move to promote a similar action.   With the help of a local grocery store such as Giant, the local government and the directors of Giant could work together to move stores into wards seven and eight.  Although Giant stores have begun to breach some areas in these wards, there is still a need for more.  In order to begin this initiative, both the local government of DC and Giant must determine an action plan.  If additional funding is needed, there are programs available through the federal government to support such initiatives.  With federal funding in place and a need for more grocery stores, the time to begin ending food deserts in DC is now.

Sign the petition now to help make DC Fresh!