How many Americans live in "food deserts," areas without access to healthy foods?

Food deserts are large geographic areas with little-to-no access to mainstream grocery stores. Residents of these underserved neighborhoods and communities do most of their shopping at nearby convenience stores – where healthy food is sparse and much more expensive than the average supermarket. The foods that are readily available – chips, sodas, fast-food – are mostly the kind of high-fat, sugary foods that lead to health problems like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. It's no wonder then, that residents of food deserts suffer these conditions disproportionately more than the average American.

The Mind Gardens project started in Jamaica, but it is taking on the growing problem of food deserts in America and beyond. Through community gardens, children living in low-income neighborhoods, far from the closest supermarket, can access fresh and healthy foods.

Take the pledge to support the Mind Gardens project. With your help the the project will grow, and so will our ability to tackle food accessibility problems in neighborhoods worldwide. Who knows, maybe 2013 is the year a Mind Garden is built in your neighborhood.