Main Street Birmingham’s Urban Food Project is an initiative that builds upon existing work to create an equitable, regionally prosperous “local food system” that is a catalyst for economic development.  A major goal of this effort is to eliminate FOOD DESERTS in the city of Birmingham. After identifying the areas of the city that suffer from a lack of access to healthy foods, Main Street Birmingham is now working with the City of Birmingham, the Jefferson County Department of Health, food related businesses and other partners to address the health and economic related needs of the communities while building profitable business enterprises.

With major funding and support from the Jefferson County Department of Health Main Street Birmingham’s Urban Food Project seeks to increase access, availability, and affordability of healthy foods throughout the city, including full service grocery stores, farmers markets, small store initiatives, and mobile markets.  We are working with the City’s Office of Economic Development to incentivize new grocery store development.  We are working with our partners to access regional and locally grown produce for local institutions such as school systems, hospitals and worksites.  The Jefferson county Department of Health and partners are working to provide nutrition education to consumers, establish urban gardens and farms, build walkable communities and educate citizens to the health benefits of a more active life style.

Public Markets

One approach MSB will take to achieve its healthy food access goal in Birmingham’s underserved communities is to create a system of public markets.  The public market provides a low cost solution for offering healthy foods and other consumer goods and services to residents of low and moderate income communities.   Public markets benefit local farmers by providing an affordable outlet for their fresh produce while providing low income residents an inexpensive source of healthy food.

The plan is to create a Market Alliance to be a central hub for resources for public market operators, farmers and other vendors.  Additionally, this Alliance will work to create new markets to meet community needs along the lines of five distinct public market models.  These market models range from a peddler system where “teams” take food to established locations, to small roadside stands to large “Main Street”  markets that are regular community events with several vendors present as well as health education programs.  Models will be developed based on local feasibility and partners.

Copies of our food related reports and studies are available for free download:

Examining The Impact of Food Deserts & Food Imbalance On Public Health In Birmingham, Alabama
Examining The Impact of Food Deserts & Food Imbalance On Public Health In Birmingham, Alabama (Executive Briefing)
Birmingham Public Market Study
Birmingham Public Market Study (Executive Summary and Conclusion)

For more information on Main Street Birmingham’s Urban Food Project, contact Samuel Crawford at 205.595.0562 or by email.

Partners