MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — Food insecurity is a tough topic to talk about and according to a 2016 study by Feeding America around 5,000 children in Martin County aren’t getting enough healthy foods.
Anthony Davis is the Director of the Boys and Girls Club in Port Salerno they are planting a seed for change and his shovel is serving as a solution.
He, as well as community volunteers, are digging deep into a problem that’s impacting their neighbors.
“It’s still hard for parents to even feel like they can actually stretch a dime to put food on the table,” he said.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, there are around 400 food deserts in Florida.
The USDA says Port Salerno is one of them, so even if people have access to a car and can get to the grocery store, finding fresh fruits and vegetables may still be difficult.
“If you don’t have a healthy meal how can you function,” Davis said.
The club decided to takes matters into their own hands. With the help of the community, they’re building a garden that will provide free fruits and vegetables to families in need of a little extra help.
“Ya that is nice to know,” one mom said.
She is a mom of four and says balancing growing bills and boys can add up. She’s an example of the 40 percent of people in this area with limited food access.
“Either there’s not a good variety and the stuffs going bad or it’s really expensive,” she said.
The new garden is proof a grassroots effort can go a long way.
“Just because it’s there for you if you need it and so your kids can get fruits and vegetables every day that’s awesome,” she said.