COLUMBIA, S.C. — Taking steps towards awareness, community members and the organization MORE Justice walked a mile-and-a-half on Saturday, hoping to bring attention to food insecurity in North Columbia.
“From this neighborhood, it’s a long walk to the grocery store,” community member Susan Carter said.
One mile is the distance people in North Columbia travel to the nearest grocery store, many on foot or using public transit.
“Today is our food walk, and what we want to do is we want to highlight food insecurity,” Tammy Ashford Carol, with MORE Justice, said.
MORE Justice and community members came together and journeyed to the Piggly Wiggly and back.
“So, what we want to do is have the experience of going through what people who live in 29203 go through to be able to get to the one grocery store that serves them,” Carol said.
While walking, people examined the distance, transportation access and the number of trips necessary.
“So, how many trips would you have to make? A lot,” one leader said.
While part of the goal is awareness, the walk is also a call for action.
“What we want is we think the city should commit to more mobile markets, but also the city should commit, too.”
In February, Columbia announced the launch of its mobile food market with Toms Creek Family Farms. But community members said there’s a greater need for more than three stops in the 29203 and 29204 zip codes.
“What we know from our research is for those mobile markets to impact the people who need it, they need to go to about nine locations,” Ashford Carol said.
The city’s mobile market begins on March 4. Community members said they hope it brings changes.
“To be dependent on walking or public transportation for grocery shopping, I think, would put a real - it would be hard,” Carter said.
Later in March, MORE Justice will hold a forum with city officials to address food insecurity and gun violence.