FoodSheds and Community Analytics

Mar 20, 2011

"A few weeks ago, during US Presidents Day, Big Window Labs and Code For America held a Data Camp hackathon. Over the past two years there has been an increasing, and interesting, interaction at the convergence of technologists and government policy. Driven by, and rewarded with, open data and communications, developers and users are able to quickly create intriguing discoveries and useful applications.

One particular application that was created in that one day of development was a DC FoodShed site where residents of Washington, DC, as well as local government and organizations, can investigate the availability of grocery stores and distances. A Food Desert is a region with limited or no access to healthy foods. Some DC neighborhoods have limited shopping options for residents to buy fresh groceries and produce. The map illustrates the disproportionate availability of grocery stores across the city."Read more.