South Jersey Forward: Report Address Food Insecurity in Atlantic City, Possible Solutions
Photo courtesy of South Jersey Forward
BY CLYDE HUGHES | AC JosepH Media
POMONA – Atlantic City faces significant hurdles to address issues of food insecurity but there are innovative ways to tackle the situation, according to a new report released recently by the nonprofit think tank South Jersey Forward.
Nourishing Communities: Strategies to Address Food Insecurity in Atlantic City, was released to tackle the daily impact of lack of quality food options in Atlantic City, arguably the most influential city in South Jersey.
While Atlantic City is nationally known and holds the distinction of being New Jersey’s most recognized vacation resort with nine casinos, there’s much less of a shine for residents living in the city. More than 50% of Atlantic City of made up of Blacks, Latinos and other minorities.
Atlantic City ranks 549 out of 559 municipalities in per capita income. A 2021 plan to build a ShopRite supermarket in the heart of Atlantic City fell apart in a year, leaving the city without a single supermarket.
“The qualitative research as part of the report was a preliminary way to gauge food availability and quality in Atlantic City,” Michael Suleiman, founder of South Jersey Forward, told Front Runner New Jersey. “As we mention in the report, more formal qualitative analysis in the form of a community needs assessment is warranted.
“While our research wasn’t scientific, it was interesting to read the feedback and comments we received from city residents.”
The report found that the overall satisfaction with the quality of food and produce in Atlantic City is poor and there is a widespread belief among respondents that the food available in Atlantic City is too expensive.
The report also found that:
• Most respondents never heard of or ever utilized food security alternatives like mobile food trucks or the C.R.O.P.S. storefront, signaling the potential for growth in these areas.
• The Save-a-Lot in Renaissance Plaza is viewed poorly or fair by a majority of respondents.
• Most residents have to travel outside of Atlantic City for food.
• Half of the respondents would utilize regular, dedicated Jitney and bus routes to and from supermarkets if they were reasonably priced, indicating that public transportation needs to be improved.
“The most surprising fact from the survey is that many of the food security alternatives are not that well known,” Suleiman said. “There is potential for growth in these alternatives, such as the C.R.O.P.S. storefront as well as the mobile food trucks operated by AtlantiCare and Virtua.
“The most unsurprising fact was probably that most residents have to go outside of Atlantic City for their food needs. Clearly, folks are concerned about the quality and the cost, so that’s something that policymakers should address.”
Some of the recommendations the report makes include:
*Creation of “edible landscapes” in publicly-owned spaces that would provide food for residents and beautify the city.
*Creation of a $5 million food innovation fund to support neighborhood co-ops and supermarket alternatives that are specifically tailored to each neighborhood.
*A robust marketing campaign to address the stigma that is unfairly placed on supermarket.
“The next step is a formal community needs assessment,” Suleiman said. “I’ve offered to partner with [the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority] and C.R.O.P.S. on this. For example, hosting neighborhood meetings, formulating a quantitative survey, and using our blast text system to connect with Atlantic City residents.
“It’s important, though, that this assessment is multilingual to hit a proper cross-section of Atlantic City residents. Additionally, we want to urge policymakers to adopt some of our recommendations.”
Suleiman said the report shows that food insecurity can be tackled on a neighborhood on a neighborhood basis, and at a cheaper cost than the proposed ShopRite.
“While everyone would love to see a new ShopRite built in the city, it’s obvious that it’s not happening (or at least not happening anytime soon),” Suleiman said. “We need to stop chasing that rainbow.”
South Jersey Forward said while the report is not a scientific survey with approximately 100 residents responding, it did produce notable data points that would benefit policymakers and guide the formulation of a more formal community needs assessment.
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