Pine Bluff is committed to fighting food shortages

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas – Food insecurity is a problem in many Arkansas counties.

To combat the problem, Governor Sanders announced grants to areas working to eliminate food deserts, such as Jefferson County.

A food desert is an area that lacks access to fresh foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Pine Bluff's District 1 became a food desert nearly two years ago when a local grocery store closed.

“It was a grocery store that had been in the community for over 20 years, and now people are having problems,” said LaTisha Brunson, Pine Bluff's District 1 councilor.

The governor announced that the Arkansas Minority Health Commission grants would help combat food insecurity in Jefferson, Pulaski and Yale counties.

Jefferson County will use the $10,000 grant for community gardens and to conduct a food desert study.

“Investors who come to Pine Bluff and say, 'Yeah, I want to open this grocery store,' but here are some hard numbers that show what that looks like,” Brunson described.

The councilwoman said she is still working to reopen a grocery store in the area and has spoken to a black-owned Oklahoma store chain in hopes of convincing them to come to Pine Bluff.

In the meantime, the Arkansas Food Bank is making sure the Pine Bluff community is not forgotten by having several food distribution sites, including one in District 1, that provide access to fresh food.

“We distributed 3.7 million pounds in Jefferson County alone last year, and 1.5 million of that was fresh produce,” said Sherri Jones, chief programs officer for the Arkansas Food Bank.