Until now, residents of Lansing's Westside could only access fresh fruits and vegetables one way: by getting in the car. Thanks to the new
Westside Farmers' Market, all that has changed.
"We have a food desert on the Westside," said Carolyn Drake, manager of the NorthWest Initiative's new Westside Farmers' Market. "It's about two and a half miles to the nearest grocery store. If you have any transportation issues, that's an extreme distance to walk."
The market had its debut last week, featuring vendors with fresh fruits and vegetables, handmade soaps, jellies, breads and more.
"It went very well," said Drake. "Even though it was over ninety degrees and it rained, the vendors were very happy."
The mission of the
NorthWest Initiative is to encourage growth through community engagement and mobilization. The non-profit has been working on developing a market to aid the health of Westside residents for years, and was recently able to organize the farmers' market with the help of a grant.
The Westside Farmers' Market takes place every Monday until September 19 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 829 W. Saginaw Street.
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