As I was late and on my way to see one of my close friends for brunch, I hadn't noticed one fruit and vegetable stand yet every block had both a deli and church. There were a number of hair salons and laundromats but the scarcity of any fruit and vegetable market outnumbered it. The most common question I'm expected to ask is: how can I be of a benefactor to this targeted community? But really my question is: how are these massive religions group of people not providing the right nutrients for the community instead?
I bring this topic up not because I'm against the church or an extreme atheist. I bring this up because supposedly the church is assumed to influence the people with their kindness and be very generous givers. But how can this be shown when certain parts of Brooklyn alone is separated by gentrification of overpriced rent and coffee, and the other parts of Brooklyn is run down with absolutely zero customers in the businesses run by the locals?
During my unproductive short story in working with the founder of a non-profit organization where fresh markets should be placed in a specific neighborhood due to the increase of diabetes within the children, I had no idea these people even existed so close to where I lived. Within a ten minute train ride, the vibe of the environment changed from apartment buildings rented by families with decent jobs in order to provide, to a setting of run down buildings with blocks and blocks of torn apartment buildings with no sight of one fruit and vegetable market. (There would only be a different sign for a different deli instead.) Today was the first time I've been so shocked by the amount of churches there can be that can't do anything about it.
If there can be a sufficient amount of churches that aren't run down, there shouldn't be a problem with creating businesses with affordable fruits and vegetables. Washington Heights can do it so why can't Crown Heights do it too? Why does the demand for religion have to be higher than the health of the people?
The next market I saw on the way to brunch was probably about a fifteen minute drive and if the person had no accessibility to a car or could not afford money for public transportation, it would be a half an hour walk for overpriced organic fruits and vegetables instead. Obviously, it's unfair and unhealthy for these group of people but maybe it is my responsible to speak loudly about a subject that isn't significant to all of us.
The fact that religion, a huge impact upon society for many years, cannot be an impact as a nutritional influence is completely ludicrous. It's amazing how people are willing to be praying instead of doing the act itself. The whole "WWJD" (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets are useless when people are not provided with the proper nutrients.So when is Jesus or whoever is up there going to multiply their food among the people?
