Nutrition Access
Definition
Ability to obtain healthy, affordable food necessary for proper nutrition and health. Nutrition access requires not just food availability but also affordability (food costs relative to income), acceptability (culturally appropriate foods), and accessibility (transportation, store hours, mobility accommodations). Poor nutrition access contributes to diet-related diseases including diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and certain cancers that disproportionately affect low-income communities.
Louisville Context
Beyond food deserts, Louisville faces nutrition access challenges including high poverty rates limiting food budgets, SNAP benefit inadequacy ($6-7 per person per day), limited farmers markets in low-income neighborhoods, and lack of nutrition education. West Louisville residents often pay more for food due to limited competition and lack of full-service groceries. Meanwhile, East End has abundant supermarkets, farmers markets, health food stores, and affordability.
Why It Matters
Nutrition is foundational to health, child development, academic performance, and economic productivity. When families can’t afford or access healthy food, children’s development suffers and chronic diseases flourish. Nutrition inequality perpetuates broader health and economic disparities across generations.
Dave’s Proposal
Dave will expand nutrition access through Community Wellness Centers hosting cooking classes, nutrition education, weekly farmers markets accepting SNAP with matching programs (SNAP dollars go twice as far), and connections to food assistance programs. He’ll advocate for Kentucky to increase SNAP benefits and work to attract full-service groceries to underserved areas, all within $1.025 billion budget.