Who is impacted? Residents in Louisville, KY's West End area are disproportionately affected by a lack of access to fresh and healthy food options. This issue, known as food apartheid, creates a severe impact on families in our community. With 1 in 3 West End residents living in a food desert, families are forced to rely on convenience stores and fast-food restaurants that offer unhealthy and processed food options.

What is at stake? The lack of access to fresh and healthy food options in the West End area has a significant impact on the health and well-being of families. This issue creates a significant barrier for residents to obtain the nutrition they need to maintain their health and overall well-being. Additionally, it contributes to negative health outcomes such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Why is now the time to act? The time for action is now. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated food apartheid in our community, creating even greater disparities in access to healthy food. The West End area deserves better, and we demand that local decision-makers take immediate action to address this critical issue. By signing this petition, we can add our voices to the demand for better access to fresh and healthy food options in the West End area.

CALL TO ACTION

1. Join us in the fight for food justice and public health in the West End area. Sign this petition today to demand better access to fresh food options and a healthier future for all residents.
2. Pick up a yard sign from Change Today, Change Tomorrow (902 South 15th Street Monday-Thursday between 11 AM and 3 PM) and display it in your yard
3. Reach out to icy@change-today.org to conduct an interview so we can gather your story for our base-building project. We are trying to gather 500 stories to aid us in shaping the policy changes we need to ensure our community is healthy.
4. Join us August 19, 2023 at 8 AM starting at the Broadway @ Shawnee Park Loop TARC stop. We will walk from there to Kroger on 28th and Broadway. We will end the event at 902 South 15th Street for our annual Vegan Cook-Off and Health Fair on the third from 12-4 PM. This event, highlighting local Black vendors and farmers, offers a wealth of free resources to our community including herbal tea, organic supplements, cold-pressed juice, fresh produce, and critical health screenings such as blood pressure, blood sugar, COVID, HIV
5. Buy a #WarOnHunger T-shirt.
6. Complete the mayoral contact form and urge Mayor Greenberg to allocate $3 million to Change Today, Change Tomorrow for a full-scale food rescue and diversion hub from the 2024-2025 budget 
7. Send this email template to the grocery decision makers tagged to this campaign:

   Dear [Grocery Store Decision Maker],

   We are writing to you today to urge [Grocery Store] to take action to address food justice and public health issues in Louisville, KY's West End area. As you may know, the West End area is home to many families who are disproportionately affected by a lack of access to fresh and healthy food options. This issue, known as food apartheid, creates significant health disparities for residents and contributes to negative health outcomes such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

   We believe that access to fresh and healthy food is a basic human right, and we are calling on [Grocery Store] to take immediate action to address this critical issue. By increasing the number of grocery stores in the West End area, you can help provide families with access to the nutrition they need to maintain their health and overall well-being.

   We urge [Grocery Store] to work with local leaders, community organizations, and residents to identify opportunities to open grocery stores in the West End area. This could include partnering with local farmers and suppliers to provide fresh and healthy food options, offering job training programs for residents, and creating partnerships with community organizations to promote healthy eating habits and nutrition education.

   By taking action to address food justice issues in the West End area, [Grocery Store] can help create a healthier and more equitable community for all residents. We urge you to join us in the fight for food justice and public health in the West End area and take immediate action to improve access to fresh and healthy food options.

   Thank you for your consideration.

   Sincerely,

   [Your name + community affiliation + Change Today, Change Tomorrow advocate]