Where are you serving and what activities are you engaged in?

I have been working with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention to help support farmers markets in Philadelphia. A major focus of the work is using farmers markets as a model to increase access to food in underserved communities. My role has been to help markets navigate opening and staying open in Philadelphia including supporting marketing campaigns, identifying prospective market locations, and developing materials that clarify city requirements for markets.

What is the community impact of your work?

Work around farmers markets tends to be based in developing the neighborhood and built environment of the communities we are interacting with. The increase in food access is only one benefit of farmers markets; farmers markets are also centers of community and connect consumers with the people who make their food directly.