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Understood, but I wasn't aware that there was a grocery store within a half mile of every low income residential area in the US.
What about all the low income people in rural areas? At least in urban areas you may have the option of bus, uber, cab, etc.
(Poor) Rural Folks have it worse in some respects with regards to groceries. Dollar General is decimating locally owned grocers in these communities. So you're either stuck driving a hour to Walmart or your local Dollar General, which is hit or miss in providing fresh food/produce
I currently walk 1.5 miles in the morning and again at night.
When I graduated college I sold my car to pay off my credit card bill and rode a bike six miles to work (not fun in summer time FL!).
When you are poor you do what you have to. If anything that was motivation to not be poor!!
It's called personal responsibility and it's a dying trend in this country.
Would you believe that there are people out there wearing the latest Air Jordans, owning Rent-A-Center furniture, driving luxury vehicles, and drinking top-shelf gas station malt liquor, who are part of the "poor" population used to determine an area classified as a food desert? Hard to believe, ain't it?
The lack of empathy "well-if-I-can-do-it-they-can-too" is stark.
If you're a senior citizen, it's not so simple.
If you have small children who cannot be left alone, it's not so simple.
If you have a medical condition, it's not so simple.
Everyone likes to believe that poverty is fake or the direct outcome of bad behavioral choices. If you've volunteered for a social services agency that serves SE Raleigh, you'd get a different impression quickly.
Yes, when I was in my 20s in grad school, I ran two miles a day and I got along fine without a car. It was Atlanta, I lived one block off a frequently-served bus route, and half a mile from a MARTA station. And I had the good fortune of an education and a career path that put more than enough money in my pocket to afford a car as soon as I wished.
SE Raleigh ain't like that. And even in NW Raleigh, I'm in my 60s with a bad knee (too much running?).
The lack of empathy "well-if-I-can-do-it-they-can-too" is stark.
If you're a senior citizen, it's not so simple.
If you have small children who cannot be left alone, it's not so simple.
If you have a medical condition, it's not so simple.
Yes, when I was in my 20s in grad school, I ran two miles a day and I got along fine without a car. It was Atlanta, I lived one block off a frequently-served bus route, and half a mile from a MARTA station. And I had the good fortune of an education and a career path that put more than enough money in my pocket to afford a car as soon as I wished.
SE Raleigh ain't like that. And even in NW Raleigh, I'm in my 60s with a bad knee (too much running?).
I am curious what might be the "fix" for food deserts?
The lack of empathy "well-if-I-can-do-it-they-can-too" is stark.
If you're a senior citizen, it's not so simple.
If you have small children who cannot be left alone, it's not so simple.
If you have a medical condition, it's not so simple.
Everyone likes to believe that poverty is fake or the direct outcome of bad behavioral choices. If you've volunteered for a social services agency that serves SE Raleigh, you'd get a different impression quickly.
Yes, when I was in my 20s in grad school, I ran two miles a day and I got along fine without a car. It was Atlanta, I lived one block off a frequently-served bus route, and half a mile from a MARTA station. And I had the good fortune of an education and a career path that put more than enough money in my pocket to afford a car as soon as I wished.
SE Raleigh ain't like that. And even in NW Raleigh, I'm in my 60s with a bad knee (too much running?).
There are programs like Go Raleigh Access that can help people with physical and mental impairments that cannot take the bus. There is Meals on Wheels. There are churches and other volunteer groups that can help. Family can also help sometimes. And hello.....you can even buy groceries online and have them delivered.
The lack of empathy "well-if-I-can-do-it-they-can-too" is stark.
If you're a senior citizen, it's not so simple.
If you have small children who cannot be left alone, it's not so simple.
If you have a medical condition, it's not so simple.
Everyone likes to believe that poverty is fake or the direct outcome of bad behavioral choices. If you've volunteered for a social services agency that serves SE Raleigh, you'd get a different impression quickly.
Yes, when I was in my 20s in grad school, I ran two miles a day and I got along fine without a car. It was Atlanta, I lived one block off a frequently-served bus route, and half a mile from a MARTA station. And I had the good fortune of an education and a career path that put more than enough money in my pocket to afford a car as soon as I wished.
SE Raleigh ain't like that. And even in NW Raleigh, I'm in my 60s with a bad knee (too much running?).
I have empathy for those who are in these situations and not as a result of bad behavioral choices.
That being said, if you're a senior citizen or have a certain medical condition, it's likely you're not walking even if there's a grocery store .10 miles from your house. You still need alternate transportation, or assistance.
This is sort of off topic, but I'm tired of everyone thinking that middle class folks have it easy. Both parents working 40+ hours a week with small children is no easy task, nor is it a fun task. Childcare costs are crazy (as they should be), and many companies are not exactly flexible when it comes to dealing with things outside of work. "But OMG they make 150k a year combined, it must be so easy! They must go home and wipe their asses with 100 dollar bills!". You'd be shocked how little many middle class folks have left over, even if they're living well within your means. Yes, the middle class may have money to buy a car to drive themselves to work and to the grocery store, but many don't have time to drive to the grocery store after working 40, 50, or even 60 hours a week, on top of their responsibilities outside of work. Spending the majority of your life in a cubicle, or on a construction site, fixing people's toilets, etc, isn't exactly living the dream.
I'm not saying there are not differences, but the common denominator is that people always need to make sacrifices and do things they don't want to do, regardless of class or race.
There are programs like Go Raleigh Access that can help people with physical and mental impairments that cannot take the bus. There is Meals on Wheels. There are churches and other volunteer groups that can help. Family can also help sometimes. And hello.....you can even buy groceries online and have them delivered.
There's no doubt that there are resources available for those who have impairments.
It's difficult to believe that in 2019 a person can't find a way to get groceries into their home from 1 or 2 miles away.
Family can also help sometimes. And hello.....you can even buy groceries online and have them delivered.
Comments like these bother me. Not everyone struggling has family nor can afford the extra few dollars for grocery delivery. Stop trying to generalize and brush off the issue. It's not that straight forward.
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