First Lady Michelle Obama, flanked by Inglewood Mayor James Butts, left, and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, told residents and leaders gathered at the future market site: “I’m here today because I believe every family in our country should have access to healthy food." (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images / February 1, 2012)

By Anna Gorman, Los Angeles Times
February 2, 2012

As part of her campaign to battle childhood obesity, First Lady Michelle Obama visited the site of a future grocery store in Inglewood on Wednesday and spoke about the importance of bringing fresh food to disadvantaged communities.

The market, which will open in April in an empty warehouse on South Prairie Avenue, is part of a statewide push to reduce obesity by attracting grocers to low-income neighborhoods and making healthy food more accessible.

"I'm here today because I believe every family in our country should have access to healthy food," she said to a group of community residents and leaders. "When we bring healthy food into our communities, we are not just making this generation of kids healthier, but we are working on the next and the next and the next."

Obama said parents shouldn't have to travel by bus or taxi to find a place to buy fruit for their children's lunches. "It sounds so simple — a place that sells healthy food at reasonable prices so they can feed their families," she said.

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