Research Your Community on HealthyFoodAccess.org

PolicyMap is pleased to announce Research Your Community, a new mapping tool available on HealthyFoodAccess.org. The Healthy Food Access Portal is a collaborative project of The Food Trust, PolicyLink, and The Reinvestment Fund; the site is a knowledge hub and learning network focused on resolving the limited and inequitable access to supermarkets and grocery stores in both rural and urban America.

Many healthy food access initiatives and funding opportunities require data-supported descriptions of a community’s assets and needs as part of the application process.

This tool can help individuals and organizations better understand the communities in which they are working to improve access to healthy food, while serving as a valuable resource for your advocacy and fundraising efforts. The grocery landscape is ever changing, and data is one of many ways to paint a picture of a community’s need for healthy food access interventions.

Research Your Community allows users to access 60 data indicators, including:
• Demographics, including income and SNAP participation;
• The food environment, including locations of supermarkets and farmers markets;
• Health indicators, such as fruit and vegetable consumption; and
• Eligibility data for federal funding programs, such as the New Markets Tax Credit program.

For more information about how to use Research Your Community, register for a webinar tomorrow, 3/10/2015 or read our detailed instructional guide.