Other Voices: Striking Rates of Food Insecurity in the Hill District and Homewood
The number of Americans experiencing food insecurity has increased since the pandemic began. And rates are higher among African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, and Alaska Natives. Proactive and aggressive policy actions could help reduce the inequities in places like Pittsburgh's Hill District and Homewood neighborhoods.
Feb 9, 2021 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
COVID-19 Has Offered Opportunities for Communities to Come Together
The past year has been among the most turbulent in recent memory. Might recent crises provide a catalyst for a renewed sense of civic engagement that transcends some of the race and class divisions COVID-19 has exacerbated?
Jan 13, 2021 The RAND Blog
In Pittsburgh: Feeding the Needy, and Protecting Workers on the Front Lines of the Pandemic
Access to food could be critical to getting through the COVID-19 pandemic. Local leaders and policymakers may find themselves having to devote new resources to make sure all citizens have access to food and to protect those on the front lines.
Apr 30, 2020 Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Food Access: Challenges and Solutions Brought on by COVID-19
For the 14.3 million American households already experiencing food insecurity before the pandemic, shutdowns and restrictions have created new layers of hardship. Tremendous efforts are already underway to help. But the weeks to come will surely demand more creative solutions from the public and private sectors.
Mar 31, 2020 The RAND Blog
Pittsburgh's Hill District Is Losing More Than a Supermarket
When the Shop 'n Save in Pittsburgh's Hill District closed its doors for good, residents lost the ability to go to a supermarket near their homes. But they also lost something less tangible: a symbol of hope, opportunity, and change for their neighborhood.
Apr 1, 2019 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Fixing America's Food Deserts Alone Won't Fix Our Terrible Diets
It's clearly hard to make healthy food choices if you can't get to a store that offers them. But what matters most is what you put in your cart once you get there.
Dec 11, 2017 Los Angeles Times
Students Shouldn't Lose Sleep Over the Liberty Bridge Fire
The fire and resulting closure of the Liberty Bridge is forcing some Pittsburgh high school students to sacrifice sleep to meet a new 7:11 a.m. start time. Sleep loss has consequences for adolescents' minds, bodies, behavior, and for public safety.
Sep 21, 2016 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Location, Location, Location: Does the Food Desert Narrative Hold Up?
There's little rigorous evidence to support the notion that 'food deserts' are driving the U.S. obesity epidemic. But this narrative has nearly become conventional wisdom. In response, stakeholders have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into bringing supermarkets to these neighborhoods.
Oct 28, 2014 The RAND Blog
Here's to Our Health
Atop the new mayor's agenda should be improving the health and well-being of Pittsburgh residents. With an unassailable electoral mandate in hand, Mr. Peduto is positioned to take bold steps. And the best way to do that is by applying scientific and medical evidence to shape an integrated, citywide, health-policy framework.
Nov 25, 2013 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
What Happens When a 'Food Desert' Gets an Oasis?
In an era of budget constraints, policymakers confronting the U.S. obesity crisis need strong evidence from projects like PHRESH to inform decisions about where and how to invest, writes Tamara Dubowitz.
Dec 13, 2012 The RAND Blog
Bedside Manners: Obesity Is Not All Your Fault
We will be more successful at stemming the growing tide of obesity and improving our own health if everyone accepts their share of responsibility for the obesity epidemic, write Chloe E. Bird and Tamara Dubowitz.
Jul 26, 2012 Girl with Pen, Bedside Manners blog
