Hey Area is where we find answers to questions you ask. One listener wanted to know, "Where is the best place in East Oakland to buy fresh produce with WIC vouchers?"
Studies have shown that proper nutrition can help improve health outcomes and lower healthcare costs. WIC is a special federally funded program for women, infants, and children to give vouchers to low-come families for fresh fruits and vegetables.
In September, WIC began a state-wide roll-out to transition from paper vouchers to debit cards. The goal is to make it easier to issue the benefits and more convenient for families to shop. But paper vouchers have not been the only inconvenience for families. In the East Oakland flatlands, which has long been considered a food desert, it’s hard to find what you need.
Through our crowd-sourced journalism project, Hey Area, one listener asked, "Where is the best place in East Oakland to buy fresh produce with WIC vouchers?"
This story was made as part of a collaboration between KALW and Oakland Voices, a program that trains East Bay residents to tell the stories of their neighborhoods. It originally aired in July of 2018.