Oak Cliff project aims to bring fresh food access to food desert

Many in North Texas have one, even two, grocery stores within a 5-10 minute drive from their homes; however, the term "food desert" rings true for thousands of southern Dallas families. 

But one Oak Cliff neighborhood is getting ready to build a fresh food market, financed with funds from the city of Dallas.

The Oak Cliff neighborhood known as Fordham Road is centered by the old Deer Path shopping center, but age and decline obscured the hopes and heft of small-shop operators.

There are no name-brand grocery stores, no big providers of fruits and vegetables for miles.

"H-E-B don't wanna come over here, so we're saying we're going to do it for ourselves," said Dallas city council member Maxie Johnson.

Johnson is now touting "Fresh market," a neighborhood store that literally grows, then sells fresh produce on the spot.

It's a farmers market-centered store, built with more than $1 million in start-up funding from the city of Dallas' discretionary spending on community needs.

This community, Johnson says, has long needed what others already have.

"his community has been underfunded, disenfranchised, and now we're saying we are bringing the state-of-the-art fresh market into our community, things that we've been asking for for years," he said.

Well over 180,000 people are living within the boundaries of Johnson's district. He calls his work for the area the "block by block campaign".

"We are going to fix the food desert, and do it with the community, a wonderful product," Johnson said. 

The market will take up to two years to complete, but many along Deerpath know that a fresh food shop coming to the vacant lot also feeds the hunger for community value and respect.