African Americans Building a Legacy of Health Consortium (AABLHC)
A consortium of coalitions and organizations that worked to improve access to quality, nutritious food and physical activity opportunities through institutional practices, public policy, and local reinvestment. AABLHC was established under the Center for Disease Control’s REACH 2010/US programs in 1999 was a 62-member consortium and members included community-based organizations, advocacy groups, professional associations, faith-based organizations, government agencies, health departments, elected officials, businesses, foundations, academic and research organizations. AABLH historically organized four coalitions: Food Policy Roundtable, Food Resource Development, Coalition for an Active South LA, and the South LA Health Leadership Roundtable. Key results included:
Created the Neighborhood Food Watch initiative to train residents in community
organizing, participatory research around food access. NFW residents were instrumental in the development and promotion of the “Standards of Quality” to improve food offerings and physical conditions of local grocery stores.
Mobilized South LA parents and residents to address community concerns when a national chain supermarket announced the closure of five local stores in the local
community already deficient in quality nutrition resources. Facilitated by CHC, residents met with City Council representatives to express concerns about the closures and share data they collected that documented the lack of fresh food access for their children and families. As result, city councilmembers required staffers to package a set of planning and tax incentives to attract more supermarkets into the area through Community Redevelopment Agency was created.
Published one of the first reports outlining the magnitude of SLA’s poor food resource
environment, and 2010’s groundbreaking Food Desert to Food Oasis report, detailing various failed attempts to catalyze new grocery stores and other food retail development in SLA.
