Clean Water and Nutritional Food Are Human Rights

Nothing will do more to improve public health in America’s urban centers than delivering clean water to the tap and securing affordable, nutritional food for families who lack access.

An absence of clean water and healthy food could spell disaster for already struggling communities — starvation and dehydration, widespread disease, poor hygiene and sanitation, weakened child development, and increased crime are all results of poor food and water conditions.

Impoverished, often marginalized neighborhoods are the communities that are most limited in their access to proper food and water. Nutritional food and clean water are the right of every American, and are absolutely necessary to succeed and grow in life.

We need a revamped commodity-based food program that marshals existing infrastructure (faith-based organizations, shelters, local grocery and food banks) to improve health outcomes in urban America. We also must leverage technologies that treat drinking water to ensure healthy outcomes.