The first focus of the Healthy Communities program is improving food security in food deserts. There are 21 food deserts in Winston-Salem and the city is ranked seventh on a national list for food hardship. The program has enacted the statewide initiative called The Healthy Food Retail Designation. This initiative focuses on small corner and convenience stores located in food deserts. In order to become a certified Healthy Store, the store must participate in SNAP/EBT and WIC and carry a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, protein, and water. Once the store passes inspection, it receives a certificate from the program that they can display beside the register. They will also be advertised on a statewide website here. The program has certified eight stores in Forsyth County since May 2023. The certified stores are Los Primos Meat Market (640 E Monmouth Street Winston-Salem, NC 27107), El Jacal II (155 Jonestown Road Winston-Salem, NC 27104), Tienda Latina Los Juanes (373 Jonestown Road Winston-Salem, NC 27104), La Victoria (321 Polo Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27105), Tienda Mexicana La Fe (6033 University Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC 27105), La Perlita Su Tienda Mexicana (815 Waughtown Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27107), Lindo Michoacan Tienda Hispana (2518 Lewisville Clemmons Road B., Clemmons, NC 27012), and Titi's Convenience Store (1524 Bruce Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27102).

Healthy Communities has further worked on this initiative by starting a community garden program called Take What You Need. The program currently has two garden beds at Simon's Community Garden at the Enterprise Center on South MLK in East Winston-Salem. So far, over 350 pounds of produce has been grown and donated to the above small stores. The stores distribute the free produce to customers, typically by displaying the produce in a basket beside the cash register. Some storeowners have started moving their own produce from the shelves into the free basket. This free produce allows people to try new vegetables at no cost. Vegetables currently grown in the garden include tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and cucumber but Healthy Communities hopes to expand to greens, onions, potatoes, broccoli, and more.

For comments or questions, email Katie Hiatt at hiattkj@forsyth.cc

Map of NC Certified Healthy Stores