A Multnomah County program known as the Healthy Retail Initiative subsidizes stores with up to $4,500 to provide healthier food.
A Multnomah County program known as the Healthy Retail Initiative subsidizes stores with up to $4,500 to provide healthier food.
County officials hope the program will change the way the stores do business—and encourage nearby residents to eat better.
The stores are located largely in neighborhoods where residents don’t have access to big grocery stores—and in areas where county officials believe obesity is a public health problem.
The program goes beyond equipment like refrigerators for produce and deep freezers for meat. County officials advise store owners which foods to stock and where to buy them wholesale, and give them red apple-shaped labels to identify healthy foods.
Read more at Willamette Week.
{biztweet}food desert{/biztweet}
