New survey on food security in Charlotte-Mecklenburg is creating a catalyst for a healthier community
On Nov. 12, 2015, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council publicly announced State of the Plate, their second food systems assessment for Mecklenburg County. Led by Dr. Victor Romano, Wellness Director at Johnson C. Smith University, and Katherine Metzo, Principal at Elemental Research and Consulting, the 2015 Community Food study is revisiting the findings from the 2010 study and substantially expanding the categories used in analyzing food availability as well as incorporating community-based participatory research.
Romano, who sits on the board of directors for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council, spoke about why a new study was so necessary. “The first study didn’t give enough detail; it was hard to get the full picture. Based on the mapping, one house could’ve been categorized as being in a food desert while the house across the street wasn’t,” Romano said.
The 2010 study also only counted full-service grocery stores, but as people utilize a number of outlets to access food, the 2015 study is counting gas stations, corner markets and international and specialty stores— anyplace with year-round food availability—all in effort to show the true picture of food availability in the county.
Twelve JCSU students are involved in the study, coming from a wide swath of disciplines: communication arts, biology, chemistry, community health, social work and accounting. Undergraduate and graduate students from UNC-Charlotte, Queens University and other Charlotte-area universities are also participating. The students will assist in research, take interviews, sit in focus groups and perform the data entry required for mapping.
“This is solid research-based work that will help us make better policy and business decisions to address food access and insecurity,” Romano said.
In addition to working closely with the assessment sponsors, the Council is also collaborating with Johnson C. Smith University, Leadership Charlotte, the Junior League of Charlotte, the Mecklenburg County Health Department and Queens University to host community conversations and help disseminate and discuss the research findings throughout Mecklenburg County, as well as identify solutions to food systems challenges.
The council is set to release 11 maps showing food availability and preliminary survey results during the week of December 7th. The full report will be released in March.
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About Johnson C. Smith University
Founded in 1867, Johnson C. Smith University is an independent, close-knit urban university located in Charlotte, N.C. It has a growing national reputation for integrating the liberal arts with business, the sciences and technology in ways that empower tomorrow’s diverse entrepreneurial citizens and leaders. Offering 23 fields of study, including a master’s degree in social work, to more than 1,400 students from a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds, the university’s excellent academic programs focus on servant leadership, civic engagement and global responsibility. For more information about JCSU, visit
www.jcsu.edu or follow the university on social media sites Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Thursday, November 19th 2015 at 2:01PM
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