(not thrilled about Walmart's involvement, but otherwise a positive development, imho)
WASHINGTON, July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Brown's Super Stores, Calhoun Enterprises, Klein's Family Markets, SUPERVALU, Walgreens, Walmart and The California Endowment's FreshWorks Fund Pledge to Expand Access
The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), together with First Lady Michelle Obama, announced today that leading grocery retailers have committed to bring healthy, affordable food to nearly 10 million people over the next five years in the form of new and expanded stores in areas that desperately need them.
Brown's Super Stores, Calhoun Enterprises, Klein's Family Markets, SUPERVALU, Walgreens and Walmart have committed to open or expand over 1,500 locations combined over the next five years in low-income areas that lack stores likely to sell affordable and nutritious foods. The California Endowment, through their FreshWorksFund, has pledged to make $200 million in financing available to new, independent retail channels and innovative food distribution programs in California through financing and grants.
Currently, 23.5 million Americans live in low-income areas that lack stores likely to sell affordable and nutritious foods. Of these 23.5 million, approximately 11.5 million are individuals living in households with incomes at or below the 200% poverty line, and 6.5 million are children. These new and expanded stores will provide nearly 10 million Americans with the ability to purchase fresh, nutritious foods close to home.
FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/leading-grocery-retailers-commit-to-fight-childhood-obesity-by-increasing-access-to-healthy-affordable-food-for-10-million-americans-2011-07-20?reflink=MW_news_stmp