Let’s do it again!
This summer, we’ve hosted two Free Farmers Markets — one at each of our centers — in which we take it from the pantry to the parking lot to give away thousands of pounds of fresh produce (mostly gleaned from area farms and farmers markets). We have a ton of fun doing it, too—so we want to do it more often.
Our next Free Farmers Market is coming up on September 23rd, at 10 am at our Southeast Center (1640 Good Hope Road).
Previous markets have included not only truckloads of free produce, but also on-site cooking demonstrations, food stamp outreach materials, art stations, an enormous clothing give-away, and more. It’s also a great opportunity for us to demonstrate our rooftop gardens, and to talk about the pleasures and benefits of home gardening.
(See full photo sets here and here.)
“It’s great to see our community come together to share resources and learn about health and nutrition,” says Lynda Brown, our Southeast Center Director.
The Capital Area Food Bank heard about what we’ve been up to and for the last market provided us with 3,600 pounds of produce (through a special program that pairs access to fresh produce with educational and outreach opportunities). We ran out of all that food before the end of our first hour!
When they saw that, the Food Bank immediately upped the ante. This time around, thanks to their provisions, we’ll have 5,000 pounds of fresh produce to distribute!
Among other things at the market on Friday, September 23rd, we’ll also have on-the-spot eligibility screenings for SNAP, a local chef teaching clients how to make a delicious raw kale salad, free seeds for clients to plant some of their own herbs and vegetables at home, and lots of samples of healthy dishes with recipes for home cooking.
Many thanks in advance to the Capital Area Food Bank, our volunteers, our staff, and all the donors who make this possible. Will we see you out there on September 23rd?