SJ0072enr 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

09600SJ0072 Enrolled LRB096 13071 KXB 27440 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 72

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has seen an alarming rise in statistics for the growing prevalence of obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension; and

WHEREAS, The rise of these diseases in the State of Illinois is predominantly in disadvantaged neighborhoods across the State; and

WHEREAS, Well documented research has shown the positive correlation of these diseases with poor nutrition due to lack of access to proper nutritional food in disadvantaged neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, The identified specific areas suffering from poor access to proper nutritional food are designated as underserved areas; and

WHEREAS, More than half a million Chicagoans live in three areas of the city identified as "Underserved Areas" when it comes to proper basic nutrition; and

WHEREAS, These respective underserved areas are predominantly home to residents of African American descent, where nearly 400,000 live in areas with an imbalance of food choices; and

WHEREAS, Residents of underserved areas are limited to food choices such as readily accessible fast food and other fringe retail outlets but very limited or no access to the fresh healthy food available at grocery stores; and

WHEREAS, Research has indicated large increases in cancer and diabetes in these respective populations; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Food Marketing Task Force comprised of civic leaders, private organizations, and vendors has continued to meet and has now formalized recommendations to address the issue of improving children's health by drafting policy recommendations for State and local government that address barriers to supermarket and grocery store development in underserved areas; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Food Marketing Task Force has recommended that a partnership of city and State government leaders of Illinois, businesses leaders, and private organizations come together to erase the disparity in nutrition between low-income and high-income neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Food Marketing Task Force has specifically recommended the State of Illinois should encourage public investment to support local supermarket and grocery store development projects; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Food Marketing Task Force has specifically recommended that State and local governments should create a grant and loan program to support local supermarket development projects in low-to-moderate-income neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, On May 19th, 2009, the Illinois Food Marketing Task Force officially called upon legislators to establish an Illinois Fresh Food Fund to stimulate supermarket development statewide; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois Food Marketing Task Force be commended for its efforts to create an Illinois Fresh Food Fund; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Food, Farms and Jobs Council assist the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in the implementation and distribution of the Illinois Fresh Food Fund to stimulate supermarket development and promotion of self-sustaining businesses for small grocers across Illinois.