Danbury Farmers' Market Marks Season's Halfway Point
Though we all may not have green thumbs and often it’s not easy being green, there’s always the seasonal Farmers' Market - and Danbury's runs every Friday, 11:00am to 5:00pm, through October 30th at Kennedy Park (Main & Elm Streets). If you can't get to a farm stand or don't have a plot of healthy soil, Danbury Farmers' Market, in its 6th year, is a great alternative, offering colorful and health-full "Connecticut Grown" vegetables and foodstuffs, enjoying the bounty of "Better Health Through Better Food," the focus of the Market's extensive efforts to provide access to fresh food to the largest possible population in need. There's lots to explore - kids love to visit! - but you'll find a visit to a lesser known vendor, the UConn Extension table, not only serves up vegetables at low cost in a snap but can also introduce you to its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education (SNAP-Ed) Food Security Project. Long name, great resource.
UConn Extension provides outreach, knowledge, and expertise to the public in areas such as: 4-H Youth Development, Nutrition Education, Sustainable Families and Communities, and the Master Garden Program. In partnership with the Elmwood Senior Center, UConn Extension and the Farmers' Market have been presenting "Eat Smart, Live Strong," a series of interactive nutrition classes and cooking demonstrations, along with an overview of Downtown's Farmers' Market. The presentations, especially aimed at seniors of 60 years or older, are held at the Center, 10 Elmwood Place. The final talk is scheduled on Monday, September 28th at 1:00pm. $15 gift health certificates for use at the Farmers' Market will be given to those who attend. To participate, it is recommended that you sign up at the Center. RSVP is required for the class to ensure enough materials are available; please call Michelle McNamara at (203) 797-4686. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/1Cf3L5q
- Accepting and matching Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) "food stamps", up to $15 per week, by enabling SNAP recipients to use their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards;
- Matching Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FNMP) vouchers, up to $9 per week, for seniors and recipients of The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC);
- Providing FNMP vouchers at the Market for seniors;
- Providing, through the Community Health Center of Danbury and the Samaritan Health Center, Fruit and Veggie Health Certificates for food-insecure community members not eligible for government assistance;
- Working with the Danbury Coalition for Healthy Kids, a collaborative enabling children to provide their families with fresh produce;
- Free blood pressure checks & Nutrition, Health & Fitness information; and
- The opportunity for community co-mingling and chat.
Support is provided by the Fairfield County Community Foundation through private and individual donations, as well as by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture through the Community Investment Act, Danbury Housing Partnership, Danbury Housing Authority, Dorothy Day Hospitality House, The City of Danbury and various community places of worship. For more information about the Danbury Farmers' Market and other CityCenter Danbury events, call (203) 792 1711 or visit citycenterdanbury.com