We are proud of how much was accomplished through the 61st Street Farmers Market and the healthy eating and food pricing efforts we initiated in our community in 2014.
Following the 2013 season, we reflected on both the amount of LINK card dollars and Double Value Coupon matching dollars spent at the market, as well as the categories of foods purchased by LINK shoppers (you can read that post here).
In 2014, we wanted to find out how affordable our market produce is in comparison with conventional grocers in our area. Through the efforts of Danny Burke (who has now moved on to do great work for the Humane Society after three seasons as Market Manager) and Sydney Blankers, a graduate student at University of Illinois at Chicago, we carried out a cost comparison study.
This comparison told us what we already knew, that overwhelmingly the Double Value Coupons “almost always” mean the “cheapest option” on produce in our neighborhood. A random selection of food group items, costing between $19 and $23 at our market and other grocers, was priced at $11.55 when Double Value Coupons were factored in.
What wasn’t compared is the community impact that shoppers dollars have on the local economy. For every dollar spent at the 61st Street Farmers Market, $1.73 stays within our communities, often supporting family farms and businesses directly. This means that with our total sales of $65,902 in 2014, our shoppers had an economic impact of over $114,000 dollars!
Other accomplishments associated with the 61st Street Farmers Market include our Healthy Food Education Initiatives:In-School Programming: 590 Elementary students in the community were given in-school healthy eating, gardening, and cooking classes or workshops.At-Market Programming: 26 Market Schools that revealed more about our food system through gardening, composting, food access and other topics. Plus 30 Chef Demonstrations that showcased how to prepare seasonal dishes.After-School Programming: 43 Elementary students and adults participated in Healthy Eating and Cooking Classes after school.Summer Programming: 12 Woodlawn students participated in an intensive 8-week gardening program.
By not only creating food access but educating families about healthy food choices, we saw another year of consistent healthy food purchasing behavior. Below is how our 2014 shoppers spent their Market dollars based on our more specific food category breakdowns.
All of these numbers represent our community's commitment to families, food, and impact on the environment, thanks to fewer grocery trucks on the road and to the health benefits of eating foods picked at the peak of freshness. There are impacts we could not calculate for 2014, though some day we hope to measure them as well.
Programs: