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“If we don’t deal with this issue of nutritional standards, we’ll have a health care crisis on our hand.”

 –Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago

United States

CHICAGO, the capital of the bountiful Midwest of the United States of America, breadbasket of the world, and yet a city where hundreds of thousands of residents have lived in “food deserts” – neighborhoods lacking access to fresh fruits and vegetables – and where one in three children are overweight or obese.

The families in the book reside in impoverished, violence-scarred neighborhoods on the South Side of the city, places that are too often dead-ends for ambition.

Jessica

As a teenager with dreams of college, Jessica combined the dual roles of mom and high school student. And she had big dreams for her child as well.

Jessica and Marco—5 months pregnant

Jessica

A good student, the 1,000 Days became Jessica’s favorite subject. She craved knowledge of how to achieve the best for her child, and worked with a doula from Chicago’s Ounce of Prevention Fund to prepare. But an escalation of violence in surrounding Chicago neighborhoods had her worried about keeping her new family safe.

Jessica, Marco, and 6-day old daughter Alitzel

Jessica

The minute she returned from school, Jessica was reading and playing with Alitzel. Jessica embraced mother-and-child programs provided by community social service agencies.

Jessica and Alitzel, about 10 months

Jessica

And she heeded lessons about the importance of nutritious foods for mother and child during the 1,000 Days. A pot of vegetable soup was often simmering on the stove. “I want her to be a healthy girl,” Jessica said, “just eating healthy things.” And she wanted to set an example for her daughter, often doing homework throughout the night; she graduated from high school and set her sights on college.

LEFT: Jessica and Alitzel—1 year

RIGHT: Alitzel—2 years

Jessica

On her second birthday – a Little Mermaid theme party – Alitzel was tall and lanky and sporting glasses, taking advantage of early health intervention programs in the community.

Jessica, Marco, and Alitzel on her 2nd Birthday

Quintana

While pregnant with her second child, Quintana was determined to change her eating habits. She worked to conquer her junk food cravings. Hot Crunchy Kurls and sweet desserts were out, oatmeal and yogurt were in.

Quintana and daughter ShaLawn— about 6 months

Quintana

She also took advantage of community home visitation services, which stressed parent-child interaction, especially reading together. Words, Quintana learned, were nutrients for brain development.

Quintana and ShaLawn—1 year old

Quintana

She realized, too, that vitamins, minerals and proteins were essential nutrients for physical and cognitive growth. Quintana sought to bring a dietary discipline to her use of U.S. federal food-access assistance programs like WIC and SNAP, purchasing the most nutritious food she could afford.

Quintana and ShaLawn—18 months

Learn the Facts

Did You Know?
More than 500,000 
Chicagoans have lived in a food desert, most of them African Americans and Latinos on the south and west sides of the city, and a substantial number of them were single mothers and children.
The only two countries
– out of 185 surveyed by the International Labor Organization – with no law to provide some kind of paid maternity leave are Papua New Guinea and…the 
United States.
The United States remains an 
exception 
where workplace lactating mothers are afforded the time and space to pump their breastmilk.
In 2014, hunger and food insecurity increased health expenditures in the United States by at least 
$160 billion.
25% 
of children entering kindergarten in Chicago’s public schools were overweight or obese.

"A stunted child anywhere is a stunted child everywhere."

– Roger Thurow
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