The front of the Douglass Community Center, 1000 W. Paterson St., will become the new location for a farmers market this spring.
Vendors are being sought for the market and organizers also are looking for musicians and others who can create a fun atmosphere that will attract families and to build community around the local food being sold at the market.
Another goal of the market is to increase access to fresh, locally grown produce in north and east Kalamazoo, says Market Master Market Master Erica Barajas. These parts of town are sometimes referred to as a "food desert" due to the lack of affordable healthy food options.
Douglass Community Center Associate Director Denise Vandyken says the idea for the market grew out of meetings to discuss the existing community garden at the Douglass Center. The market was proposed to give people in the neighborhood more access to fresh food, to create a way for people to come together and to give vendors another site to sell their products, Vandyken says.
During this initial season, information from customers to determine will be gathered to determine whether a more frequent market should be pursued in the future. This season the market will be open from 3 to 7 p.m on May 24, June 28, July 26 and Aug. 23. Please click here for more information and vendor application.
The organizers have received a permit from the city to operate the market, and approval from the USDA to accept SNAP benefits/Bridge cards. Market Master Erica Barajas also is applying to be able to accept both WIC and Senior Project Fresh coupons. The market may also participate in the Fair Food Network's Double Up Food Bucks program.
Fair Food Matters is also serving as a fiscal agent on the project that is funded by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation.
Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Erica Barajas, Fair Food Matters, Denise Vandyken, Douglass Community Center
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