Farmer
*UPDATED*
Howard University Hospital (HUH) is hosting a fresh produce market geared toward the community and residents of the Shaw Neighborhood. Farmers on Wheels is a collaboration between DC WIC (Women, Infant and Children) Program and HUH CARES (Comprehensive Area Resources, Entitlement and Services). Although there are a handful of nearby farmer’s markets, most of them are open only on weekends. Farmers on Wheels is open Tuesdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to make fresh produce more accessible to its primary audience–residents who are elderly, children, or have limited access to farmer’s markets. (Starting in early July HUH canceled the Tuesday market).
Davene White, Director of Maternal and Child Public Health Programs and HUH CARES says one of the main goals of the farmer’s market is to provide better and healthier food options to families and children in the neighborhood. Many of the residents who live in poverty in the area are food insecure, meaning they lack sustainable physical or economic access to enough safe, nutritious, and diverse food for a healthy and productive life. Even those who receive assistance from government food programs may not always have access to fresh produce. White explains that’s how this market got started. Many HUH WIC patients who participate in the WIC Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) weren’t using their vouchers because they didn’t have anywhere to spend them.
Farmers on Wheels started mid-May, but will have its grand opening this Friday, June 18. The market serves to not only provide residents with access to fresh fruits and vegetables, but also affect the way the community eats. At least one HUH WIC nutritionist will be on-site each market day to answer questions about nutritional information and food preparation. HUH WIC plans to sponsor cooking demonstrations during the summer to show different ways to prepare foods people may not be familiar with, and to encourage cooking that is more local and seasonal. “We want to promote healthy eating and lifestyles for the people in Ward 1,” White said.
The farmer’s market is located in the courtyard of the hospital, near Georgia and V Streets NW. Produce at the market comes from regional farmers from Pennsylvania and North Carolina; HUH WIC hopes to expand the market and welcomes interested vendors to contact the program for more information. The market accepts both WIC and Senior CSFP vouchers.
For information about the market, HUH WIC, or vending, contact 202-865-4942.
