>> INDIANAPOLIS RANKS WORST INTHE NATION WHEN IT COMES TO FOODDESERTS.THAT'S DEFINED AS LOW-INCOME
AREAS WHERE A LARGE SHARE OFRESIDENTS HAVE LOW-ACCESS TOSUPERMARKETS OR LARGE GROCERYSTORES.
THE INDIANA HEALTHY FOOD ACCESSCOALITION IS BEHIND TWO BILLSAIMED AT CURBING THE STATE'SFOOD DESERT DILEMMA.
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATIONGRASSROOTS DIRECTOR NAIMAGARDNER AND TELAMON'S VICEPRESIDENT OF BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT SUNNY LU ARE HERE TOWEIGH-IN ON THE LEGISLATION,INCLUDING WHAT IT MEANS FORINDIANA BUSINESS.
AND LADIES, THANK YOU FORJOINING US TO TALK ABOUT ANIMPORTANT ISSUE.NAIMA I'LL START WITH YOU.
WHY IS IT SUCH AN ISSUE HERE ININDIANAPOLIS?>> ABSOLUTELY.FOOD DESERTS ARE AREAS IN WHICH
LOW INCOME RESIDENTS LIVE ADDLEAST A MILE AWAY FROM A GROCERYSTORE, LARGE SUPERMARKET.THEY ALSO AFFECT RURAL AREAS.
IN RURAL AREAS THEY ARE DEFINEDAS BEING MORE THAN TEN MILESAWAY FROM A LARGE SUPERMARKET.AND YOU KNOW INDIANAPOLIS IS
RANKED FIRST IN THE NATION, FROMA HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, WE KNOWTHAT LOW INTRINSIC AREAS ARETIED WITH HIGH RATES OF OBESITY
THINGS LIKE THAT.ECONOMIC ISSUES, DEPRESSEDECONOMIES HIGH ARE UNEMPLOYMENTRATES THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> PARTICULARLY THE EAST SIDE OFINDIANAPOLIS IS RANKED AS THEWORST IN THE NATION, SOMETHINGNO ONE WANTS TO HAVE.
ITS ACCESS, BE ACCESS TO HEALTHYFOOD OR FOOD ALTERNATIVES.>> ABSOLUTELY.>> AS YOU LOOK AT THE INDIANA
STATEHOUSE, SENATE BILL 277, LCREATING A PROGRAM, TALK ABOUTTHIS BILL.>> SENATE BILL 277, OFFERED BY
SENATOR RANDY HEAD FROMLOGANSPORT, THIS MODEL IS BASEDOFF A PROGRAM THAT WASINTRODUCED IN PENNSYLVANIA IN
2004.IT IS BASED ON THE IDEA OF WE'REASKING THE STATE FOR A ONE TIMEAPPROPRIATION, BUT THEN AFTER
THAT, THE IMPLEMENTINGORGANIZATION WHICH IN OUR CASEWOULD BE THE INDIANA HOUSING ANDCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
WOULD LEVERAGE PRIVATE ANDPUBLIC SOURCES TO GROW THAT FUNDINTO SOMETHING THAT COULD BEAVAILABLE FOR LOANS AND GRANTS.
NOT JUST FOR GROCERY STORES ORCORNER STORES BUT FOR FARMERSMARKETS FARM STANDS THINGS LIKETHAT.
>> REALLY ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY.AND SUNNY AS YOU LOOK AT THISIMPORTANT ISSUE WHY IS IT ABUSINESS ISSUE?
>> A FOUNDATIONAL FOR AHEALTHIER WORKFORCE.AS EMPLOYERS ARE SPENDINGSIGNIFICANT DOLLARS FOR THEIR
EXISTING WORKFORCE, WE NEED TOAPPROACH THE WORKFORCE THAT'SNOT BEEN TAPPED.TO EXTEND OUT TO THE COMMUNITY A
HEALTHY OPTION, AND THATULTIMATELY THROUGH THISFINANCING OPPORTUNITY, SOCIALENTREPRENEURSHIP CREATING SMALL
BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITIESARE NEEDED.>> TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUTTHAT BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY
TALKING ABOUT ENGAGING THECOMMUNITY AND ENABLING THECOMMUNITY TO HELP ITSELF ASWELL.
IN WHAT WAYS HOW WOULD YOU DOTHAT AND ARE OTHER BUSINESSESGETTING ON BOARD WITH THIS?>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM ATRADITIONAL BUSINESS PERSPECTIVEWE HAVE DISTRIBUTION,SCALABILITY, ALL THE COST WE ARE
LOOKING AT TO BUILD ASUSTAINABLE BUSINESS.LARGER GROCERY CHAINS MAY NOTSEE THAT SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITY
BUILD IN THOSE SMALLER AREAS, ISHOULDN'T SAY SMALLER AREAS BUTREALLY THE NEIGHBORHOODS OFNEED.
FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE WE LOOK ATIT AS EDUCATING ALMOST ANENTREPRENEURSHIP TOOL KIT TOENGAGE NEIGHBORHOODS TO BECOME
PART OF THE RELATIONSHIP, TOFOSTER FURTHER SMALL BUSINESS.COMPANIES AROUND THE STATE CANPARTICIPATE BY LEVERAGING
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENTTOOLS TO MANAGE -- MANAGELITERALLY THE RESIDENTS DMOMG TOBUY FOOD, INVENTORY MANAGEMENT
TOOLS.FEEDER INTO THESE SMALLERBUSINESSES.>> NAIMA THIS IS TRULY A
STATEWIDE ISSUE.>> ABSOLUTELY.WHAT WE DID TO PREPARE FOR THISLEGISLATIVE SESSION WE TRAVELED
AROUND THE STATE, WE HELD LOCALTOWN HALLS IN GARY, FORT WAYNEAND JASPER, INDIANA.WE TALKED TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS
ABOUT WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE,BRAIR YEARS AND CHALLENGES THEYFACED WHEN IT CAME TO FOODACCESS.
THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALLSOLUTION.DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES FACEDIFFERENT CHALLENGES.
THAT IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT, IT'SREALLY ADAPTABLE FOR DIFFERENT