We are pleased to announce that the East Palo Alto Community
Farmers' Market is Opening in June 1, 2008. The market will be
located at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1425 Bay Road, East Palo Alto,
CA 94303 (just a
couple of blocks from University Drive and just a mile from the 101
freeway).
The market will be open every Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. This is a
community
sponsored market with widespread support coming from all sectors of the
community. The East Palo Alto Community Farmers’ market Our efforts were
also just featured in the Palo Alto Weekly (front page story: “Oasis in
a Food Desert”).
Collective Roots is joining with other community organizations and
government officials in
taking a lead role in developing the East Palo Alto Community Farmers’
Market. Collective Roots is the nonprofit sponsor and has received
start up
funding to ensure the success of this community wide effort. Research
published
in 2006 by the East Palo Alto based Community Development Institute
indicates
that people living in East Palo Alto spend approximately 68 million
dollars per
year on food. We believe the community of East Palo Alto deserves food
system solutions that are healthy and good for the local economy. The
East Palo
Alto Community Farmers' Market will offer the opportunity for local
growers and
to sell their produce, as long as they are certified by the Department
of Food
and Agriculture. It is hoped that the farmers' market solution will
help build
impetus toward creating other food system solutions that meet community
needs
that have been unmet for many years. We are founding members of the San
Mateo
County Food System Alliance and would like to support and involve local
growers
as much as possible.
We have hired a market organizer named Cornelia Fletcher. Cornelia is a
Stanford
graduate and a long-time resident in East Palo Alto. She is a licensed
landscape contractor, has a beautiful food garden, and has long been an
advocate for food system change in her community. You will find her to
be a
friend to all farmers—she is truly a woman of the earth. We are also
actively engaging youth leadership in assuming key responsibilities in
the
operation of the market. Health is also a major focus for us, and we
have received
support and funding from the Kaiser Permanente Foundation, the Silicon
Valley
Community Foundation. We are strong partners with Ravenswood Family
Health
Center, the EPA Get Fit Collaborative, and the EPA Health Roundtable.
Many other local and regional partners are supporting our efforts,
including
the San Mateo County Health Department.
Please
consider joining what promises to be one of the most diverse and dynamic
farmers’ markets in San Mateo County. An application is attached and we
welcome
your calls or emails with any questions you may have.
Most
sincerely,
Wolfram Alderson Cornelia Fletcher
Executive Director Market Organizer
Collective Roots Collective Roots
(650) 324-2769 cell (650) 245-9016 celll
wolfram@collectiver
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 50784, Palo Alto, CA 94303
Physical Address: 1286 Runnymede Street, East Palo Alto, CA 94303
Phone/ Fax: (650) 324-2769
Personnel Cell: (415) 265-5306
Email: wolfram@collectiver
Web: www.collectiveroots
Collective Roots' mission is to develop young leaders who understand
where their food
comes from and how their actions impact human and environmental health.
Collective Roots is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization.
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