Foodscape: Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows

Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows Foodscape

Queens Community District 8

About Foodscapes

Access to affordable and nutritious food is one of the cornerstones of good health. Without this, individuals—and communities—are at a higher risk of food insecurity and serious chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. To improve the health of New Yorkers, we must recognize that each neighborhood has a distinct food environment.

Purpose

These Foodscape reports provide a community-level snapshot of a community’s food environment, including data on healthy and unhealthy food consumption, food access, and diet-related diseases. Additionally, the reports detail a comprehensive guide of the many food-related resources available to residents within their neighborhoods to support them in eating healthier. The Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center has compiled this information from various sources, presenting it in a user-friendly format to help NYC residents and communities better understand their local foodscapes.

The NYC Foodscape Reports were published in 2020 and are continually updated every six months. Data in the Foodscape Reports is collected from multiple primary sources to ensure the most up-to-date statistics for each indicator. Learn more about organizations and resources highlighted in the Foodscape Reports by visiting the Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides as well as the Food Policy and Practice Database. Together, these three resources provide a comprehensive food-related guide to each New York City neighborhood. 

Zip codes include: 11365, 11366

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• DEMOGRAPHICS
• NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD
• FOOD CONSUMPTION
• HEALTH AND DISEASE STATUS
• ECONOMIC AND LIVING-CONDITION STRESS, CONTRIBUTORS TO FOOD INSECURITY
• EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BURDEN
• COMMUNITY GARDENS
• SCHOOL GARDENS
• FARMERS’ MARKETS
• OFFICIAL SNAP ENROLLMENT SITES IN NYC – HUMAN RESOURCES ASSOCIATION
• RETAIL FOOD STORES
• PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
• ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

DEMOGRAPHICS:

• Total Population: 161,402 (1.83% of NYC population) (1)
• Population by Race and Ethnicity of Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows and New York City (2)
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 19.7% Latino | NYC: 29.2% Latino
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 11.3% Black | NYC: 21.7% Black
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 30.2% White | NYC: 31.8% White
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 34.5% Asian/Pacific Islander | NYC: 14.1% Asian
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 4% Other | NYC: 2.7% Other
• Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows Population by Age: (3)
  • 0-17 years: 20%
  • 18-24 years: 10%
  • 25-44 years: 28%
  • 45-64 years: 27%
  • 65+ years: 15%
• Life Expectancy: 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 84.4 years (2) | NYC: 82.1 years (2)
• Born Outside the US: 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 46.4% (2) | NYC: 36.8% (2)

NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD:

• Supermarket to Bodega Ratio: One (1) supermarket in Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows to 5 bodegas (2)
• Meal Gap (# of meals needed per year for food security): 3,992,143 (2)
• Food Insecurity: 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 12.3% of residents (2)| NYC: 15.4% of residents (2)
• Residences that Lack a Kitchen: 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 0.6% of housing units (2)| NYC: 0.8% (2)
• Households Receiving SNAP Benefits: 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 12.0% of households (2)| NYC: 22.4% of households (2)

HEALTH BEHAVIORS:

• No Fruits and Vegetables Yesterday: 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 11% of adults (2) | NYC: 12.9% of adults (2)
• One or More 12-ounce Sugary Drinks Per Day (percent of adults): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 18% (2) | NYC: 23% (2)
• No Physical Activity in the Last 30 Days
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 30% of adults (2) | NYC: 27.1% of adults (2)
• Binge Drinking
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 10% (2) | NYC: 17.4% (2)
• Smokers
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 14% (2) | NYC: 13.9% (2)

HEALTH AND DISEASE STATUS:

• Adults Reporting Their Own Health as “Excellent,” “Very Good” or “Good” (percent of adults): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 79% (2) | NYC: 77.8% (2)
• Obesity (percent of adults): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 20% (2) | NYC: 24.6% (2)
•  Childhood Obesity (percent of public school children in grades K through 8): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 18% (3) | NYC: 20% (3)
• Diabetes (percent of adults): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 14% (2) | NYC: 11.9% (2)
• Hypertension (percent of adults): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 24% (3) | NYC: 28% (3)

ECONOMIC AND LIVING-CONDITION STRESS, CONTRIBUTORS TO FOOD INSECURITY:

• Median Household Income: 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: $65,679 (2) | NYC: $60,879 (2)
• Poverty (percent of households with incomes below poverty): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 18.9% (2) | NYC: 19.7% (2)
• Unemployment (percent of people ages 16 and older): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 5.2% (2) | NYC: 4.5% (2)
• Extreme Housing Burden (Extreme Housing Burden includes households spending more than 50% of income on housing):
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 30.8% (2) | NYC: 29.5% (2)
• Rent Burden (households that spend 35% or more of their income on rent)
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 44.8% (5) | NYC: 44.2% (5)

EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BURDEN

• Air Pollution (micrograms of fine particulate matter per cubic meter): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 6.6 (2) | New York City-wide: 7.5 (2)
• Bicycle Network Coverage (percent of streets with bike lanes): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 8% (3) | New York City-wide: 10% (3)
• Pedestrian Injury Hospitalizations (per 100,000 people): 
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 23 (3) | New York City-wide: 23 (3)
• Percentage of Land Used for Public Parks, Open Spaces, and Recreation:
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 13.5% (2) | New York City-wide: 24.7% (2)
•  Canopy Coverage (percent of ground covered by tree crown/canopy)
  • Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows: 31.49% (5) | Queens: 18.9% (5) | New York City-wide: 22.04% (5)

HILLCREST/FRESH MEADOWS COMMUNITY GARDENS: 

• Pomonok Friendship Garden: Fresh Meadows, NY

HILLCREST/FRESH MEADOWS SCHOOL GARDENS:

• P004Q @P179Q: 196-25 Peck Ave
• PS 154 : 75-02 162 St
• HS 670 Robert F. Kennedy Community High School: 75-40 Parsons Boulevard
• PS 255 @ J.H. 168 (Parsons Ed. Complex)- D75 MAIN SITE: 158-40 76 Rd

HILLCREST/FRESH MEADOWS FARMERS’ MARKETS: 

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides. 

• Cunningham Parks Down to Earth Farmers Market
  Union Turnpike & 196 Pl, Sunday 09:00AM-02:00PM, May 9 - December 19

Many farmers’ markets accept cash, SNAP/EBT, debit/credit, WIC and Senior FMNP coupons. They may also offer Health Bucks for EBT users — for every $5 spent in EBT, customers receive a $2 Health Buck coupon to purchase additional fruits and vegetables. 

HILLCREST/FRESH MEADOWS OFFICIAL SNAP ENROLLMENT SITES IN NYC – HUMAN RESOURCES ASSOCIATION (HRA):

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides.

• East New York S28: 404 Pine St, 1st Floor
• Rockaway S79: 219 Beach 59th St, 1st Floor
• Queens S53: 32-20 Northern Blvd, 2nd Floor
• Jamaica S54: 165-08 88th Ave, 3rd Floor

*It is possible to apply for SNAP benefits online at https://www.ny.gov/services/apply-snap

HILLCREST/FRESH MEADOWS RETAIL FOOD STORES:

Data is updated on a continuous basis in collaboration with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center’s Neighborhood Food Resource Guides. This list below includes all retail food stores within the neighborhood from the New York State Retail Food Store Open Data and a Google Maps Places API search with keyword search terms “bakery, convenience store, deli, food, grocery, supermarket.”

• Island of Gold Supermarket
  195-25 69th Ave 11365, (718) 217-0888
• Tommys Deli
  178-03 Union Tpke 11366,
• Full Stop Grocery
  15827 Horace Harding Expy 11365, (718) 359-1278
• Kouchi Supermarket
  7501 Parsons Blvd 11366, (718) 380-7670
• 7-Eleven
  168-01 Union Tpke 11366, (718) 969-9713
• Key Food Flushing
  164-5 69th Ave 11365, (718) 762-1112
• Rite Aid
  158-02 Union Tpke 11366, (718) 380-8259
• Lucky Deli
  75-9 164th St 11366,
• Fresh Meadows Natural
  6974 188th St 11365, (718) 380-3567
• Fruit Basket
  182-6 Union Tpke 11366, (718) 380-4116
• CVS
  Fresh Meadows Shopping Plaza, 61-26 188th St 11365, (718) 454-4433
• Highway Deli
  6111 173rd St 11365, (718) 539-8728
• 7-Eleven
  58-20 Francis Lewis Blvd 11365, (718) 631-1862
• Golden Island Supermarket
  176-19 Union Tpke 11366,
• Freshmeadows Halal Meat & Grocery
  184-12 Horace Harding Expy 11365, (718) 460-4401
• Walgreens
  69-62 188th St 11365, (718) 969-2890
• Food Universe Marketplace
  196-35 Horace Harding Expy 11365, (718) 423-9589
• Amigo Grocery Store Inc.
  61-43 186th St 11365,
• Empire Deli Plus
  17657 Union Tpke 11366, (718) 820-0888
• Food Universe Marketplace
  70-63 Parsons Blvd 11365, (718) 591-1234
• NBA Glatt Market
  185-02 Union Tpke 11366, (347) 644-5959
• Double J Deli
  16802 Union Tpke 11366, (718) 380-3515
• A to Z Glatt Kosher Supermarket
  186-05 Union Tpke 11366, (718) 454-4200
• Walgreens
  186-16 Union Tpke 11366, (718) 264-0319
• Union Food Market
  7509 164th St 11366,
• Chang Xin Foods Market
  16721 Union Tpke 11366, (718) 969-5338
• Oneg Shabbos Gourmet
  164-08 69th Ave 11365, (718) 380-4078
• American Flag Deli & Grocery
  75-15 Parsons Blvd 11366, (718) 591-0475
• P & M Convenience Store
  16821 Union Tpke 11366, (718) 969-0781

PARKS IN HILLCREST/FRESH MEADOWS:

• Holy Cow Playground: 175-07 Peck Ave, 11365
• Farm Playground: 195-02 69 Ave, 11365
• Utopia Playground: 73rd Ave & Utopia Pkwy, 11365
• Kissena Corridor Park: Fresh Meadows, NY, 11366
• Playground Seventy Five: 75-20 162nd St, 11366
• Fresh Meadows Park: 190 Horace Harding Expy, 11365
• Fresh Meadows Playground: 67-10 Fresh Meadow Lane, 11365
• Electric Playground: 65-40 164th St, 11365
• Kissena Park: 164-01 Booth Memorial Ave, 11365
• Emerald Playground: 16241 71st Ave, 11365
• Kissena Corridor Park: Fresh Meadows, NY, 11365

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• Queens Public Library Partner Organizations
• NYC Food Resource Guide: Hillcrest/Fresh Meadows

REFERENCES:

1. “2020 Data for NYC, Boros, CDs, Council Districts, NTAs, & Tracts.” NYC Planning. 2021, https://www1.nyc.gov/site/planning/planning-level/nyc-population/2020-census.page.
2. “Data2Go: Briarwood, Fresh Meadows & Hillcrest.” data2go.Nyc, Measure of America of the Social Science Research Council and Helmsley Charitable Trust, https://data2go.nyc/cd/?id=408*36047015900*food_insecure_puma!undefined!ns*!buttonHolder~other_pop_cd_506~ahdi_puma_1~sch_enrol_cd_112~age_pyramid_male_85_plus_cd_20~median_household_income_puma_397~median_personal_earnings_puma_400~dis_y_perc_puma_102~poverty_ceo_cd_417~unemployment_cd_408~pre_k_cd_107!*air_qual_cd~ahdi_puma*family_homeless_cd_245#. 
3. Hinterland, K, et al. “Community Health Profiles 2018, Queens Community District 8: Hillcrest and Fresh Meadows.” Community Health Profiles 2018, Queens Community District 8: Hillcrest and Fresh Meadows, 2018, pp. 1–20.
4. “Green Thumb Garden Map.” NYC Parks, https://greenthumb.nycgovparks.org/gardensearch.php.
5. “NYC Community District Profiles” NYC Planning https://communityprofiles.planning.nyc.gov/bronx/2#indicators.
6. Treglia ML, Acosta-Morel M, Crabtree D, Galbo K, Lin-Moges T, Van Slooten A, Maxwell EN. The State of the Urban Forest in New York City. The Nature Conservancy. 2021. doi:10.5281/zenodo.5532876

Article Image: “New York City (NYC) Neighborhood Maps – By Borough – Queens.” NYCdata, Baruch College Zicklin School of Business, https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/nycdata/population-geography/maps-boroughs.htm.