With over 45,000 people currently facing food insecurity in the greater Syracuse-Onondaga area, concern is growing around food access as the area expects to see a population increase with Micron’s announcement to build the largest semiconductor plant in the country. Micron plans to hire 9,000 people and create 48,000 jobs over the next two decades, but SOFSA and other community advocacy groups continue to focus on the current reality of aging or non-existent food infrastructure, such as the lack of groceries stores in the Valley neighborhood and others.
While the situation will not change overnight, addressing this challenge by investing in local food processing, improving infrastructure, and leveraging Micron’s $500 million community fund to support initiatives like Valley Plaza and enhance food distribution and access could have turn the tide and have a long-term impact in building a better food system in the region.
Read the thoughts of SOFSA Director Maura Ackerman, SOFSA Community Liaison Rhonda Vesey, and Syracuse Grows Board member Jonnell Robinson highlighted in the Spectrum News 1 article.
“You can’t come and fix a flood that’s already overflowing in a short period of time.”
– Rhonda Vesey, SOFSA Community Liaison & Food Access Healthy Neighborhoods Now (FAHNN) Chairperson