JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Local businesses are partnering to address food insecurity on Jacksonville’s Northside.
Soutel Drive is about 4.6 miles long and about a 10-minute drive from Old Kings Road to Lem Turner.
On the stretch, there is a Harvey’s grocery store, at least four Dollar stores, and a few places to eat.
“There’s no good options out here,” said Jeremiah Sanders, who lives near Soutel Drive.
Sanders said he doesn’t really eat in the area because of a lack of options. That’s part of what State Representative Angie Nixon wants to fix.
“Come back to our neighborhoods, reinvest in our neighborhoods. We deserve to have nice things in Northwest Jacksonville,” Nixon said.
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Nixon said she’s partnering with Northside native Chenile Brown and her popular taco food truck, “Chenile’s Kitchen.”
“I have literally been working it for about six months now. But it is amazing. It has blown up like crazy,” Brown said. “The Northside is my home. Yeah, I do go to other sides of town. But you know, this is my baby… It’s some good people on the Northside. It’s good businesses on the Northside, good business owners and entrepreneurs here on the Northside. We deserve to have that, you know, audience as well.”
Historically, News4JAX has reported a large area of Health Zone 1, as lacking health food options.
Nixon said there are also high rates of diabetes and high blood pressure in residents.
“No matter what ZIP code you live in, you should always have the opportunity to be able to purchase things that continue to make you healthier, that won’t cause you to have such high disparities as it relates to health reasons,” Nixon said.
Nixon said the food trucks will let people in the area know, there are more options out there.
And Sanders said he’s all for it.
“Yeah, like make it more interesting so people can enjoy it and have other places to go to,” Sanders said.
This Sunday, Chenile’s Kitchen will be at the Renaissance Café, located at 5007 Soutel Drive, from 12 to 5 p.m.
There will also be live entertainment.
The goal is to recycle the neighborhood dollar, promote a small business, and create a healthy, fun, and safe environment.