Montgomery County fights food insecurity with event on access to healthy food

DAYTON, Ohio (WKEF) – According to the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, one in six families in Montgomery County struggles with food insecurity and doesn’t know where their next meal will come from.

On Saturday, local leaders came together to address the issue and help families put food on the table. The event was held at the Levitt Pavilion and event organizers said it was a great way to bring people of all ages together to promote healthier eating.

“Over 80,000 of our citizens here in Montgomery County really need good food but have limited access to decent food,” said Montgomery County Commissioner Judy Dodge.

Dodge said she wanted to come up with a new, creative way to educate people about healthy eating and show them how to grow healthy food in their own backyard.

“We actually have increased rates of diabetes and chronic disease in our community, so it’s important for our community to have access to these foods and know that they’re available,” said Jennifer Wentzel, health officer for Public Health Dayton Montgomery County.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, diabetes is the eighth leading cause of death in Ohio. Wentzel said protecting the population from these chronic diseases is a priority for her.

“We want our residents to be successful in their daily lives and at work. It is important that the community has access to healthy food,” Wentzel said.

Dayton 24/7 Now’s Kysha Hancock spoke with the Estrada family, who said they are grateful to the county for organizing the event. She added that it is nice to know that the county cares about people’s well-being.

“Eating healthy, balanced meals on the plate and making sure all food groups are present reinforces what we teach at home so the kids don’t just hear it from us,” said Casandra Estrada.

Casandra said they even have their own garden at home where they grow vegetables to better teach their children the effects of a healthy diet.

“Mom and Dad want the best for us. When they teach us simple things like healthy eating and good hygiene, it’s super important to learn from a young age that healthy food is good for us,” says Caitlin Estrada.

For more information about access to healthy food in the community, visit the Food Equity Coalition website.