ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A new grocery store popped up in St. Petersburg, providing more food options for some but concerns for others.
In February, Whole Foods Market opened along 4th Street North. That area has a Publix just across the street and another Publix not far from that location. There are other chain grocery stores in the area like Winn-Dixie, The Fresh Market and Trader Joe's.
With so many grocery stores in one area of St Petersburg, some residents worry about low-income areas where grocery stores don't exist.
"There are big pockets of St. Pete where there are no grocery stores at all," said a registered dietitian and nutritionist, Wendy Wesley.
Wesley has written articles about how there are areas of St. Petersburg where people don't have access to grocery stores. Specifically, Wesley has noticed these areas are low-income communities. Some in the community have referred to these areas as "food deserts," but that's not a term Wesley uses as she said they are thriving communities with people, just no healthy food options.
"Certain parts of our community keep growing and growing and other parts their food needs are ignored," Wesley said.
As a certified nutritionist, Wesley has worked in hospitals to help people understand the importance of eating healthy. Wesley has seen the dangers of not having access to healthy food.
"I worked at St. Anthony’s Hospital for four years and my patients struggled with diabetes, cardiac disease and kidney failure," Wesley said.
Wesley recalled telling her patients they needed to eat healthy food. Her patients emphasized there are no grocery store options in the communities. Instead, they only have access to dollar stores and gas stations. With her patients eating out of those types of places, she saw on their medical charts that their health was declining.
"I looked at his labs, in his chart he was getting worse and worse the longer he ate and gas stations and dollar stores," Wesley said.
There are food pantries that feed people healthy food at no cost. Some places in St. Petersburg that assist those in need are the St. Pete Free Clinic and First Baptist Church of St. Petersburg.
"There’s definitely an increase in the need in Pinellas, specifically South St. Pete," said Jalem Robinson, the Director of Community Collaboration for Metropolitan Ministries.
Robinson works for Metropolitan Ministries to give those in need resources. He works with other organizations in St. Petersburg to help those in low-income communities. Right now, there is the NeighborHOPE Project where they are targeting specific ZIP Codes where child poverty is high. The goal of the project is to provide resources to residents for economic mobility. In low-income areas, Robinson hears how people don't have access to fruits and vegetables.
"People are forced to eat pizza rolls from Dollar Tree instead of being able to go to a grocery store and buy fruits and vegetables and healthy options," Robinson said.
Churches and organizations host food banks weekly to help people eat healthy options. As a nutritionist, Wesley believes it’s time for St. Petersburg city officials to help all residents have access to grocery stores. She believes one solution is putting a grocery store in Tangerine Plaza.
That plaza is owned by the city and has been up for debate for years. Several years ago, the Walmart closed in that plaza and since then, some people community referred to the area as a "food desert."
Wesley said it's time for St. Petersburg city council members to decide to put a grocery store in that plaza.
"Residents in St. Petersburg are counting on city officials to do the right thing," Wesley said.
10 Tampa Bay reached out to the spokesperson for St. Petersburg. They said the goal for Tangerine Plaza has always been to have a grocer there. Right now, the city won't comment on what the final plan is but said there will be an update provided on March 28 during a public meeting.
People are invited to attend the economic and workforce development committee meeting where city officials will provide new information on Tangerine Plaza to the council.
Some like Robinson believe it's important for everyone in the community to get involved.
"If we’re going to address these community issues, we’re going to have to work as a community," Robinson said.
As the city works on its plans for Tangerine Plaza, several organizations host food banks daily. For the full list of those organizations, click here.