(11/12/06) BROWNSVILLE - The New York City Coalition Against Hunger recently ranked Brownsville among low-income neighborhoods that lack healthy food options.

The organization says residents living in low-income areas must travel far to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. There is only one store in Brownsville that sells fresh produce and some residents say the cost is prohibitive. NYC Coalition Against Hunger officials say high prices drive low-income families to buy unhealthy meals at fast food restaurants and bodegas.

Although the coalition claims the city's proposed trans fat ban is a good first step, they say making fresh produce more affordable through food stamps and soup kitchens would be a more effective long-term solution.