User:Cd631874/sandbox

Key elements of my proposal for editing the parent article "Food Deserts" and creating a new child article called "Food Deserts in the US":

I intend to create a new child article titled “Food Deserts in the US” in addition to making significant revisions to the existing “Food Deserts” parent article. The current version of the parent article mainly focuses on food deserts within the US; however, food deserts exist all over the world and are not unique to the US. For example, the majority of “Initiatives and Resources” section is focused on programs and initiatives within the US. In order to improve the existing Wikipedia resources on food deserts, I will move the US-relevant food deserts material into a new child article that focuses on just food deserts in the US. I will then revise the parent article so it includes more broad academic theories behind the creation of food deserts and the different proposed definitions for food deserts.

Within the new child article, I would like to add to the “History” section of the article to outline the proposed theories on how food deserts emerged in the US as a result of systemic inequalities and unfair policies. There are also some more minor edits I’d like to make to the existing article’s content, such as information regarding access to pharmacies in food deserts in the US. Someone in the talk page section pointed out that another Wikipedia article appeared to contradict this article’s claim that there is an excess of pharmacies in food deserts. Finally, I’d like to add to how food deserts impact health outcomes among disadvantaged communities.

Youth education
Several studies have cited improved dietary behaviors through educating children on healthy nutrition practices and food systems in school settings. Empowering children to make healthy food choices and learn about the origins of their food can promote long-term healthy habits and attitudes around food. Youth education programs around nutrition, gardening, and food systems that establish and maintain community gardens can also make nutritious, fresh produce more easily accessible by residents living in food deserts.

The Grow Hartford Program was implemented in a school in Connecticut to have students address an issue in their community and they chose to focus on food justice. The youth involved worked on farms in the area to learn about the processes of food production and the importance and variety of vegetables. The program even led kids to start a community garden at their school. The program allowed the students to engage in hands-on learning to educate them about agriculture, food scarcity, and nutrition while helping bridge the gap of food access for some of their peers who could now bring home food from the surrounding farms or the school garden. Another example of an organization that educates community members is Oakland Food Connection, located in East Oakland where they teach children about production and consumption through lessons on urban gardening with cooking classes. This program helps educate children about their own food culture and others while also learning about nutrition.

Relevant sources: