Nashville continues to look at different ways to combat food deserts across the area | News

NASHVILLE, TN.- It’s been a long time coming for Nielah Burnett.

The grand opening for her shop, InngerG Juice and Yoga, has finally arrived.

“Finally able to show people what we mean by it being a new vibe and by wellness of Juice and Yoga together. The feeling is tremendous,” Burnett said.

News4 first introduced you to Burnett in February. Ambitious and ready to open up her store in North Nashville, a shop that provides a healthy alternative for neighbors. The opening of her shop, brought Letimicia Fears up from Antioch.

“We all can’t get over to whole foods or it costs a bajillion our whole check to get something — and so having something here that’s available, accessible, is made with love from somebody who looks like us — you know you can’t beat it,” Fears said.

There’s a dire need for healthy foods in both North and South Nashville, the problem only increased after the pandemic began. Second Harvest of Middle Tennessee says food insecurities is also a problem in rural communities.

“Food insecurity doesn’t just look like one type of neighborhood. It doesn’t just live in just one type of community. It’s across the board. And I think we saw that during the pandemic. People who had steady jobs, lost those jobs.”

Brenda Haywood, Deputy Mayor of Community Engagement for the City of Nashville, says they’re already working to address the need for healthy foods in North Nashville.

“Two million dollars have been set aside in the Mayor’s budget to actually–have been allotted for the people in 37208 to bring together community members to participate in determining how the 2 million will be spent,” Deputy Haywood said.

One way they’re doing so, is helping to increase food gardens throughout the area.

“We’re looking at land that will possibly allow us to use their land to teach young people and their families how to grow food,” Haywood said.

Lisa McCrady, with Metropolitan Action Commission, says the biggest challenge many face when it comes to food insecurities, is transportation.

“Getting to the fresh markets. Getting to the place where it’s not more like a convenience store, but it has large varieties of different fruits and vegetables. Fresh things, breads and other items, um, that people want,” McCrady said.

All women say eliminating food insecurities across Nashville is not a one-size-fits all approach, but it’s one that takes a village, a village Burnett is proud to be a part of.

“The persistence, the vision, the determination to put this in a place where it’s need…is something that I hope motivates people,” Burnett said.

City leaders say they meet regularly with community groups, like Second Harvest, to tackle this problem and look for different types of solutions.

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