In the wake of the racially motivated mass shooting at the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo on Saturday, May 14, the surviving community is now in a food desert. Food deserts are geo­graph­ic areas where res­i­dents have few to no con­ve­nient options for secur­ing afford­able and healthy foods—espe­cial­ly fresh fruits and veg­eta­bles.

The Tops grocery store was a godsend to the area when it opened in July 2003.

According to, McKinsey Quarterly, “one out of every five Black households is situated in a food desert, with few grocery stores, restaurants, and farmers markets.