Northeast
Grocery Access Across the Northeast
Across the Northeast, access to fresh, affordable food can vary greatly from one community to another.
Some neighborhoods may be surrounded by restaurants, convenience stores, and small markets while still lacking a nearby full-service grocery store. In other areas, store closures, transportation challenges, redevelopment, and rising operating costs can leave residents with fewer places to shop.
We want to hear directly from people throughout the Northeast about where grocery options are disappearing, where access is limited, and which communities are asking for better choices.
Every Northeastern Community Has a Story
A neighborhood grocery store is more than a place to buy food.
It can provide access to fresh produce and everyday essentials, create local jobs, support nearby businesses, and serve as an important part of the community. When that store closes, the impact can be especially difficult for residents who depend on walking, public transportation, or nearby shopping options.
For some people, losing a grocery store means traveling a little farther. For others, it can mean multiple bus or train connections, paying for transportation, or relying on smaller stores with fewer affordable and healthy choices.
Those experiences help us understand what food access really looks like across the Northeast.
By hearing directly from residents, we can identify communities that may be underserved and help bring greater attention to places where new grocery opportunities could make a difference.
Help Us Put the Northeast on the Map
Has your neighborhood lost a grocery store?
Do you have to leave your community to buy groceries?
Are residents relying on convenience stores, small markets, dollar stores, or other locations with limited fresh-food options?
Is there a vacant grocery store, shopping center, or retail property that could potentially serve the community again?
We want to hear about it.
Your story can help us identify communities where there is a real need for better grocery access — and where residents are ready to support new options.