Fresh Food Options At San Francisco Bayview Stores Expanding

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— A grassroots campaign to bring healthy food options to San Francisco's Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood is starting to make an impact. Food choices are getting better in the area that has been described as a fresh food desert.

Kennedy's Market, a corner store, which is seeing transformation, was unveiled during a Bayview street festival.

The market on Third Street at McKinnon Avenue now features fruits, vegetables, low-sugar juices and whole wheat bread among other healthy options.

Antonia Williams is with the group, Southeast Food Access Food Guardians.

"We're trying to tackle this food desert and create options for all of San Francisco and especially southeast Bayview residents," she said.

Kennedy's Market owner Musa Dirbas admits at first he was skeptical about the plan.

"We started with a few items working with the healthy program through the city, with the [city] supervisor, all that stuff. We're trying to push it a little more. This community needs that," he said.

So far three markets in the Bayview have gone through healthy "makeovers" and there are plans to convert even more.