Assessing Access to Healthy Food in Long Island City

The East River Development Alliance (ERDA) engaged a Capstone team to research food security in the local commu­nity where ERDA works in Long Island City. This area includes the public housing developments of Queensbridge Houses, Astoria Houses, and Ravenswood Houses. The goal of the project was to assess the level of food security in the neighborhood and propose recommendations on how to increase access to healthy food. The Capstone team used elements from the USDA to conduct a quality needs assess­ment. The team surveyed residents, area vendors, and focus groups to conduct a formal needs assessment. The results highlighted the need for increased access to fresh and high quality food in the neighborhood. The Capstone team's report provided recommendations for programs and initiatives to improve access to high quality, healthy food.