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.