LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Census data shows neighborhoods in Louisville’s West End are some of the poorest in the county. The area is also a food desert, meaning fresh and healthy foods are difficult to come by. 

What You Need To Know

  • Louisville's West End is considered a food desert

  • This means healthy food options are not as accessible as in other areas

  • It’s led some in the community to step up to increase access to healthy foods 

  • Next year’s city budget will not include a multi-million dollar incentive to fund grocery stores in underserved areas

To increase access to healthy food, a group in the West End has taken matters into their own hands. Led by Reverend Gerome Sutton and a man who goes by ‘Lemonade,’ the group sets up shop six days a week at West Chestnut St Baptist Church in the Russell Neighborhood. 

Watermelon, cabbage, apples, onions, and potatoes are just a few of the items they sell. Nothing cost more than a few dollars. 

“We can’t keep this stuff in, people are stopping and buying this stuff,” Sutton said. 

Sutton, who’s worked in west Louisville for decades, explains this is to help the city’s poorest residents. 

“They bring five dollars down here they got a meal. Not a meal from Arby’s or Rally’s, they’ll be able to eat some cabbage,” Sutton said.  

The group works with local vendors to source their products. They say this isn’t about making a profit, it’s about giving back. So far, Sutton says the neighborhood has welcomed what they’re trying to do. 

“Fruits and vegetables is a way of life so bringing it to the neighborhood, actually in the neighborhood, is a blessing,” Lemonade said. 

Sutton says they also employ young people to help with the fruit stand, something that gives them work experience. 

In June, Metro Council approved next year’s budget. The final version omitted a line item that would have set aside $6 million to subsidize grocery stores in underserved areas like west Louisville. 

“We need fresh, affordable, healthy food in every neighborhood in Louisville that’s accessible to the residents and so we will be working with grocery stores and when there is specific actionable projects, we’ll be coming back to metro council to have conversations about how to make them a reality,” Mayor Craig Greenberg said after the budget’s passage. 

Last year, Louisville Metro Government granted Louisville Community Grocery $3.5 million to build a community grocery store in the Smoketown neighborhood. Construction on that building has not yet started. 

Sutton adds more needs to be done to combat the lack of grocery stores in the West End.

“We need neighborhood grocery stores, and we ought to finance at least 60% of it under the conditions that they provide healthy food options, because there is a food desert,” Sutton said. 

The food market is open Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you are interested in learning more, you are asked to reach out to the group at this number 502-956-7377.

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