HARTFORD, Conn. — Fresh food and produce are essential and community members in Hartford’s North End are looking to bring more resources to their community.
The neighborhood is considered by locals to be a food desert. This means area residents have limited access to affordable and nutritious food.
Community leaders are trying a different approach to change that.
“We decided that we needed to bring fresh produce right to the community,” said Joanna Iovino, of North End Little Pantries.
Plans are underway for a community garden. They're turning this vacant lot into called “Little Living Pantry.”
“You don’t have any major grocery stores in this area, so you have to basically shop at their corner stores,” said Food 4 U President Tim Fraylon. “We’re trying to push a healthy initiative to get those to be able to eat healthily and to be able to build sustainable food for themselves and their families.”
It’s going to take $25,000 to build this hydroponic garden.
“This addresses a much deeper issue which is food insecurity and it’s also an improvement as far as the appearance of the empty lot,” Iovino said.
It is one of the six projects on the Hartford Decide$ ballot in hopes of receiving funding. Residents in Harford that are 13 years old and up can vote for where they want to see $50,000 go.
The funds come from the City of Hartford's Capital Improvement budget.
“It gives the people here agency and a voice and to know that what they think, what they want has action and power behind it. They control their money,” said Heather Nelson with Hartford Decide$.
RELATED: End Hunger Connecticut expands SNAP match program to ensure families can have access to fresh food
Residents have until Wednesday to vote on two projects they want to see happen.
“This is really improvements in the community by the community. This is not by the community. They come with their ideas and the community votes,” said Nelson.
Hartford residents can vote online or in person.
DeAndria Turner is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. She can be reached at dturner@fox61.com.
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