Food Deserts in Appalachian Georgia: Mapping food insecurity for a university food pantry

For five years, students in the Appalachian Studies Minor at the University of North Georgia has focused its community based research on issues such as food democracy, access to local foods, and seed sovereignty. Now, they will take the next step by hosting a food pantry for students and staff at the Historic Vickery House, headquarters of UNG’s Appalachian Studies Center. This poster session will feature a map of food deserts in counties of Appalachian Georgia as well as those served by the university. A food desert is a low-income census tract where a substantial number or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store. The committee members on the Food Pantry Board will use the map to help educate the campus and community about food insecurity. By using strict parameters and census data, this map layout will create concrete evidence to be used in formal and informal presentations across the region as well as provide a strong rational for fundraising