Urban Roots Community Market reopens Sept. 6

Sep4

IMG_9769_market_wuendy.JPGUrban Roots is reopening its Community Market, 1316 Madison Ave SE, on September 6 with a celebratory event, 12 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday Sept 6. The market, which offers healthy, affordable, local  produce and whole foods will be open for business 12 to 7 p.m. every  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Urban Roots is a non­profit 501(c)3 community farm, market, and education center in the Madison Community. Working with students of all ages across Grand Rapids, its mission is to cultivate durable and resilient families, communities, and ecosystems through urban agriculture. For information, visit http://www.urbanrootsgr.org

GR Veg Fest folks to table at farmers’ market Sat. Sept 1

Aug30

Southeast Area Farmers’ Market,Saturdays 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
On Sept. 1, 8, 15 & 22 the market meets at LINC  Madison Ave. north of Hall St. SE 

poster-2018_headersize-copy-1-e1534247292667Volunteers from the Grand Rapids Veg Fest will be sharing resources at the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market on Saturday Sept. 1.

VegFest is an annual vegetarian food festival held in cities around the world to promote veganism and vegetarianism, healthy lifestyles, compassion for animals and conservation of the environment.

Grand Rapids is one of the most vegan friendly cities in the US with more than 40 identified vegan friendly restaurants in town and boasting one of the oldest, most active vegetarian Meetup groups.

Do you need to be vegan to attend? No! The goal of annual Grand Rapids Veg Fest is simple: to promote plant based diets for health, compassion, and conservation of the environment. With local and national vendors, nationally-recognized speakers and food samples galore, Vegfest is the place for vegans, vegetarians, or omnivores curious about the health benefits of a plant based diet

Local and national vegan businesses including foods, cosmetics, clothing and fashion, animal rights organizations, restaurants and wellness coaches will be at the Veg Fest. Exhibitors are encouraged to provide samples, sell products on site, promote their organization and recruit volunteers for their campaign. Attendees will be able to learn about new products, make connections with local vendors, watch plant based cooking demonstrations, attend lectures and receive the support and resources to learn how a plant based diet could work for them.

 

While OKT does not promote vegetarianism or veganism, we do recognize eating a plant-based diet as one of many strategies for growing food and environmental justice and decreasing the exploitation of people and animals.

Food Access in Michigan Project launches website

Aug27
low_food_sec_GRAPH_overtime

Percent of food insecure* households in Michigan

The Food Access in Michigan (FAIM) Project has launched its website – www.faimproject.org – highlighting the systemic challenges in addressing food insecurity while seeking to support regional food systems that strengthen local communities across the state.

The FAIM Project is a USDA-funded study rooted in an environmental justice framework examining food access and food insecurity in Michigan. Primarily housed within the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan, the multi-disciplinary research team is a collaboration across co-investigators from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Michigan-Flint, Michigan State University, Grand Valley State University, Lake Superior State University and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

One in 7 people are food insecure in Michigan, while state also has a growing local food economy, with agriculture making up the second largest industry in Michigan. The goal of the FAIM project is to develop strategies for fostering vibrant, food secure communities that are rooted in principles of justice and equity for everyone along the food chain.

The FAIM Project website shares current research on food insecurity and food access, the challenges facing small farmers across Michigan, a database of policies that support food access and local food economies, interactive maps and spatial analysis of the future potential for Michigan’s agricultural land, illustrations of the ways food retailers shape people’s daily experiences with food, as well as highlighting the work of FAIM Project community partners endeavoring to engage their communities in growing food through a variety of urban agriculture initiatives.

The FAIM Project team hopes the website will serve as a resource for researchers, activists, and community members working to address food insecurity; for food retailers and farmers, whose daily work enriches all our lives; and for public health & emergency food assistance professionals, and truly anyone interested in working to create a more just and equitable food system across Michigan.

To learn more about the FAIM Project please visit: www.faimproject.org

To connect with the FAIM Project team, please email: faimproject@gmail.com

City staff seeking residents’ input on South Corridor plan at Saturday’s market

Aug23

20171021_110742Southeast Area Farmers’ Market,
Saturdays 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
On Aug. 25, Sept. 1, 8, 15 & 22 the market meets at LINC  Madison Ave. north of Hall St. SE 

Staff from the City of Grand Rapids are coming to the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market Saturday to provide information and seek resident input on proposed improvements to its South Corridor.

The South Division, Burton, Hall, Grandville Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority is developing an action agenda for improving the lives of neighborhood residents.In addition to physical improvement projects, the Corridor Authority is looking at  education, safety, health, supportive social services and other things that can improve the lives of neighborhood residents.

For more information on the South Corridor project, read this article from Rapid Growth Media.

Farmers’ Market hours shift Saturday for Rhythm Run

Aug16

race36787-social1200x630.bBrIPMGRAAHI’s Rhythm Run 5K takes place this Saturday at MLK Jr. Park. To honor the run’s focus on healthy living, getting fit and raising awareness of the benefits of making healthy choices, the Southeast Area Farmers’ Market will shift its hours to 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Some vendors will stay later–others might be running or walking in the event!

Planned Parenthood of West Michigan is tabling at the market Saturday, as well. Stop by to learn about the many healthcare services that PPWM offers area women, youth and 14021690_1263886476963384_2948188631749601892_n-1men.

The 2018 Rhythm Run will offer a variety of health inspired activities including a Kid’s Fun Run, 5k walk/run, health fair, light refreshments and a variety of fun kid activities. After the run, GRAAHI and the Urban Core Collective (UCC), will host a community Park Party to inspire people of all fitness levels to increase or start their fitness goals.

Park attendees will have the option to join us for a yoga stretch, visit the health and wellness tent, Zumba, dancing, live entertainment, the kid zone, and the Rhythm Run.

 

Farm bill developments further food assistance stigma by including work requirements and diet education

Aug15

OKT would like to point out that the developing farm bill further stigmatizes people receiving food assistance by including work requirements and education stipulations. These imply that the reason for hunger and under-nutrition is that people are unwilling to work and/or unable to make smart food choices. In fact, the problem is lack of  employment opportunities that pay a living wage and limited access to healthy foods within income-challenged neighborhoods. –Editor

GetStoredImageAugust Update:
2018 Farm Bill
Nutrition Programs

By: Grace Michienzi

Back in June, the Senate passed its version of the 2018 Farm Bill with a bipartisan 86-11 vote, according to the Washington Post (Dewey and Werner). This followed the partisan passing of the House of Representatives version of the Farm Bill, which had no support of the Democratic Party, primarily because of its “strict work requirements on able-bodied adults” seeking SNAP participation (Dewey and Werner). According to the Congressional Calendar, both the House and the Senate are currently in August recess, however, with the September 30 deadline approaching, the work on the Farm Bill is not over (“Days”).

According to Politico, the Senate voted to conference the Farm Bill on July 31 (Rodriguez). This is because, now that both parts of Congress have passed their versions of the Farm Bill, the House and the Senate have to come together to conference their bills and will end up with one bill that will pass both houses by the September 30 deadline. Senator Mitch McConnell is hopeful that conferees from the House and the Senate will produce a report after Labor Day, according to Politico (Rodriguez). According to the article, the changes to work requirements and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will likely be the biggest cause for debate, both between the two parties and between the House and the Senate (Rodriguez).

Some are speculating why the focus of the Nutrition Programs has even been on work requirements. According to The Hill, the work requirements have been a large part of the bipartisan debate in the House and the Senate, however, the proposed changes would only affect a “relatively small percentage of SNAP recipients” (Glickman et al). The writers suggest that the actual conversation should be about diet, citing research done at Tufts University that presents that SNAP recipients have a lower quality diet than income-eligible non-participants (Glickman et al). The editorial argues that amending funding that goes to SNAP-ed, a program that aims to educate SNAP recipients on nutrition, will “make SNAP even more effective for those it serves—and a better use of the public’s money” (Glickman et al).

According to SNAP-Ed Connection, Michigan’s Implementing Agencies of SNAP-Ed are Michigan State University Extension and Michigan Nutrition Network – Michigan Fitness Foundation (“State”). According to the writers at The Hill, there has never been a more important time for the debate about Nutrition to refocus, however, it is unlikely that the debate will change this late in the year (Glickman et al).

 

Works Cited

“Days in Session of the U.S. Congress.” Congress.Gov, Library of Congress, United States

Copyright Office, congress.gov/days-in-session.

Dewey, Caitlin, and Erica Werner. “Senate Overwhelmingly Passes Sweeping Farm Bill,

Setting up Fight with House.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 28 June 2018, http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/senate-passes-sweeping-farm-bill-setting-up-fight-with-house/2018/06/28/0007d532-7aff-11e8-80be-6d32e182a3bc_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.2f17cf43668e.

Glickman, Dan, et al. “Focusing on Nutrition Is Paramount to Getting a Sound, Bipartisan

Farm Bill Out.” The Hill, Capitol Hill Publishing Corporation, 10 Aug. 2018, thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/401209-focusing-on-nutrition-is-paramount-to-getting-a-sound-bipartisan-farm-bill.

Rodriguez, Sabrina. “Senate Finally Votes to Conference Farm Bill.” Politico, POLITICO, 1

Aug. 2018, http://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-agriculture/2018/08/01/senate-finally-votes-to-conference-farm-bill-303256.

“State SNAP-Ed Contacts: Michigan.” SNAP-Ed Connection, United States Department of

Agriculture, 6 Aug. 2018, snaped.fns.usda.gov/state-snap-ed-contacts/michigan.

Southeast Area Farmers’ Market hosting MobileGR Saturday at MLK Jr Park

Aug10

 

mobile-gr-graphicSoutheast Area Farmer’s Market
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at MLK Jr. Park

We warmly welcome SNAP, Bridge Cards, WIC  and Doube Up Food Bucks!

When you’re picking up your delicious fresh produce at the market Saturday, stop and chat with Mobile GR staff to discover how you can be more mobile in GR.

Mobile GR provides  Grand Rapids residents, workers, and visitors with 21st Century Mobility. In addition to managing street parking, ramps, and lots, Mobile GR is working to broaden transportation options and strengthen those in place. According to the City of Grand Rapids website,

“We know social justice, economic development, and transportation depend on each other’s success. We work to improve our quality of life by getting more people to use active transportation. We want to help expand people’s options so they can choose to take transit, walk, bike, carpool, or drive alone.”

 

Southeast Area Farmers’ Market at LINC Saturdays July 28 & Aug. 25

Jul27

Note Location!
Southeast Area Farmer’s Market
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at LINC, Madison Ave. Parking Lot

We warmly welcome SNAP, Bridge Cards, WIC  and Doube Up Food Bucks!

mobile-gr-graphicMobile GR provides  Grand Rapids residents, workers, and visitors with 21st Century Mobility. In addition to managing street parking, ramps, and lots, Mobile GR is working to broaden transportation options and strengthen those in place. According to the City of Grand Rapids website,

“We know social justice, economic development, and transportation depend on each other’s success. We work to improve our quality of life by getting more people to use active transportation. We want to help expand people’s options so they can choose to take transit, walk, bike, carpool, or drive alone.”

When you’re picking up your delicious fresh produce at the market Saturday, stop and chat with Mobile GR staff to discover how you can be more mobile in GR.

Mobile GR sharing resources with market patrons July 28

Jul25

Southeast Area Farmer’s Market
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at LINC, Madison Ave. Parking Lot
Bridge Cards, Double Up Food Bucks and WIC Welcome!

mobile-gr-graphicMobile GR provides  Grand Rapids residents, workers, and visitors with 21st Century Mobility. In addition to managing street parking, ramps, and lots, Mobile GR is working to broaden transportation options and strengthen those in place. According to the City of Grand Rapids website,

“We know social justice, economic development, and transportation depend on each other’s success. We work to improve our quality of life by getting more people to use active transportation. We want to help expand people’s options so they can choose to take transit, walk, bike, carpool, or drive alone.”

When you’re picking up your delicious fresh produce at the market Saturday, stop and chat with Mobile GR staff to discover how you can be more mobile in GR.