A free vegetable market intended to help low income families and individuals meet their healthy food needs is set to open on July 2 at Waverley Drive Public School.
The initiative has been made possible by a coalition of community groups, organizations and churches. The North End Harvest Market will offer free fruits and vegetables to all those in need.
The Market is a pilot project and will open on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8pm from July 2 to the end of December at Waverley Public School, in the east side parking lot. On bad weather days, the market will be held in portable #6, behind the parking lot.
On opening day, July 2, Mayor Karen Farbridge will be present to welcome the market to the neighbourhood.
To qualify for the free fruits and vegetables, the only requirement will be to confidentially provide a name and address. Once registered, people will be able to access fresh produce every two weeks.
“We believe that this programme will play an important role in bringing more food security to those in need in the north-east corner of our city. By focussing our resources on fresh produce we hope that we can help improve the diet and health of some of our vulnerable citizens. But this programme is about more than food. We also want to create a fun place to gather and celebrate community.”
Primary funding for the market has been generously donated by Guelph United Ministries, an umbrella organization of Guelph’s United churches and ministries.
The market is supported by local groups that include Chalmers Community Services Centre, Trinity United Church, Holy Rosary Church, New Life Church, Waverley, Grange Hill East and Brant Avenue Neighbourhood groups, the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition and the Upper Grand District School Board.
