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Despite challenges, Dominican students tackle complex problem of food desert in Maywood
Maywood Market

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    -Nutrition Sciences: Undergraduate I MBA/ID I Dr. Judy Beto
    -In the News: Chicago Tribune I Chicago Sun-Times
The Village of Maywood had long been considered a “food desert” due to a lack of affordable and convenient access to fresh produce and other healthy foods.

That was expected to change when the Maywood Market, a commercial grocery store, opened in April on the site of a former grocery. With access to a full-service grocery offering healthier options than processed pantry items and fast food, the hope was that residents would quickly adopt more nutritious cooking habits.

But with news that the grocery store closed its doors on October 22, it’s become clear that the problem of food deserts in the Greater Chicago area is more complex than many people initially expected.

“Unfortunately habits are hard to break,” said Judy Beto, a professor of nutrition sciences at Dominican University who led efforts to encourage patronage at the store and to offer nutrition education and outreach programs to Maywood residents. “People have shopping habits that have been around for a long time.”

First Lady Michelle Obama has made eliminating food deserts throughout the country a priority on her agenda, as has Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Those two hosted events on October 25 in Chicago to raise awareness of the problems, but the case of Maywood has proven the problem a difficult one.

Beto says that in a community such as Maywood, which had been without a full-service grocery store for 20 years, people have become so used to purchasing the processed and shelf-stable good available to them that just the mere presence of fresh resources does not mean they will necessarily switch their habits.

“It’s difficult to feed a family today or even feed yourself without relying on the least healthy options,” Beto said. “The more healthy options always require more time and thinking.”

To encourage adoption of new food resources, Beto and students from nutrition science classes at Dominican set up shop at the Maywood Multicultural Market, an outdoor farmer’s market which was held on Saturdays through the summer.

The students offered nutrition education, handed out cookbooks and assembled and distributed healthy, ready-to-prepare meals such as dry soup mixes.

“One of our goals is to become more culturally and community-oriented,” Beto said. “We are trying to help people in the community find innovative ways to stretch their food budget and use the produce that’s at the market in creative ways.”

Despite new resources and support from groups such as Dominican, store owners did not see the large-scale patronage they’d hoped for, and with the farmer’s market’s season having ended on October 15, the situation in Maywood is troubling.

“Despite all of our hopes, we haven’t been able to make those amazing leaps to increase the number of people that are using all of the resources in their community,” Beto said.

But she remains hopeful that the seeds planted in the community through the efforts of the store owners and farmers will ultimately bloom into healthier lifestyles.

“Our hope is that we can continue to connect and provide some innovative nutrition or food awareness services. I think Dominican can have a really positive role in serving the community if we make it a priority,” Beto said. “Even if I have to dress up as an ear of corn on the corner, I’m going out there. I think there’s a way.”