Youth Transform Local
Corner Store into Healthy Store
On Friday, May 14th at 3:30pm-6pm Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) in partnership with the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Project (CCROPP), local farmer, Blake Kozuki, and Akram Alshanaby owner of Latino Market will transform a corner store into a community friendly market where local produce will be available to residents. Latino Market is located at 1145 N. Fisher just east of First Street at Olive.
For the last 6 months YLI’s CCROPP youth council, which includes youth from Edison High and Fresno State, has been working in the neighborhoods surrounding Latino Market to assess access to healthy food. The youth found a 25 to 1 ratio of corner stores to full service grocery stores within a one-mile radius of Latino Market. “Corner stores sell mostly junk food and sodas,” says Nancy Carretero of the CCROPP youth council. “Making healthy choices is hard when there are no places in your neighborhood to buy fruits and vegetables.”
At the makeover event, youth will remove alcohol and tobacco advertising, display adverting promoting healthy lifestyles, and showcase produce and healthy snacks in the front of the store. Councilman Henry T. Perea will present Latino Market with a certificate of recognition from the City of Fresno and the Central Valley Health Network will provide fruit taste testing, healthy recipes, and educational literature for community members. In addition, The Central Valley Children's 5 a Day -- Power Play! Campaign will be leading fun physical activities for children.
For additional information for the event please contact April Hoogasian at ahoogasian@yli.org 559-255-3300. To learn more about YLI, visit www.yli.org or http://ylifresno.blogspot.com.
Youth Leadership Institute builds communities where young people and their adult allies come together to create positive social change. |
