The Matthew Henson Community Development Corporation would like Baltimore City Mayoral and 7th District City Council candidates to materially (written document) and publicly address this subject matter.
 
 
 
 
What specifically will she/he do to bring back to the Winchester Community, where Freddie Gray went to both Elementary School and Senior High School, a food market to replace the Stop Shop and Save food market that closed 2 years ago and the community is now in the most significant food deserts in Baltimore City?
 
 
Cindy Walsh for Mayor of Baltimore responds:
 
My campaign is completely about rebuilding all surrounding communities in Baltimore creating two initial community economies:  a construction economy created from demolition, hauling of debris, recycling debris, rehabbing houses, and building new mixed-income multi-family housing.  All of these projects will not be outsourced---they will be used to create small businesses surrounding all those construction areas.  At the same time we will be rebuilding our Baltimore City Public Works and hiring these positions from each community.  This creates a platform that builds housing and employment security for each community.
 
The second economy built at the same time is a fresh food economy.  As we demolish and haul away all that bad housing and concrete infrastructure not needed in a downsized community, we create a great public green space central to each community.  This will be several acres as communities downsize.  That central green space will have a grand public green house and a barn for animal husbandry to be accessed by any citizen in the community wanting to participate.  Individual citizens may want to designate space----some may want to provide work in exchange for fruit and vegetables-----those being too poor to buy food would want that option for example.  We would see businesses grow from this in those that wanted to plant or care for animals, those wanting to create food products from harvesting, those that wanted a small food distribution business delivering fresh food to fresh food stores in the community and to farmers’ markets. At each point it is a citizen in each community owning and operating these small businesses with all citizens having access to this fresh food.  I would like to see fruit orchard trees included---maybe each community could have a different fruit tree and exchange between communities.  Space for fish farming could be made as well.  Animal husbandry means chickens, goats, lambs, maybe pigs----we would have to change zoning ordinances in the Baltimore City Charter.  This means a small business wanting to care for these animals, one that wants to butcher for meat or create products like sausage or butter/dairy products.  Again, you will need a business to distribute those products to fresh food stores in the community and farmers’ markets. 
 
THIS WILL BUILD A PERMANENT PLATFORM IN EACH COMMUNITY FOR LOCAL FRESH FOOD.
 
Everyone in a community wants as well a super market option and I am all about regional super markets over national or global food market chains.  So, I would not promote a SAVE – A – LOT for example as that is a national chain----the food quality is not often what we would want for our citizens as chains go national or global.  I will provide that option and will work to downsize the number of convenience stores in communities where that was often the only option.  We can get those store owners re-directed into other businesses in the community.
 
I want to emphasize to all citizens in rebuilding our economy.  Fresh food is a human right and a vital resource that we must be sure to establish and maintain a LOCAL FRESH FOOD ECONOMY.  We do not want the same progression of consolidated stores becoming larger and less responsive and more expensive. Be sure to do this no matter who becomes mayor!
 

Thank you for listening,
 
Cindy Walsh for Mayor of Baltimore