Farmed & Forged Market
Written by Mandy Krickhahn
When the opportunity to revitalize the La Porte Farmers Market was presented, we had about two months before opening day. As you can imagine, there is A LOT that needs to be done to rebrand and coordinate a weekly event, especially within a short timeframe. We had to prioritize the things we wanted to accomplish the first season, and, aside from supporting small businesses & the community, we knew two major things needed to be at the top of that priority list: healthy, local food options and making sure those options were accessible to everyone.
It was important to us to help facilitate the relationship between the shopper and the producer, as well as giving the shopper transparency into the food they are eating. For this reason, we decided to make it a producers only market. When shoppers can directly ask the person who grew/harvested their food what processes and practices they used producing the product, it makes them more mindful of what they are consuming.
On top of making sure the market is full of healthy options, we had to figure out ways to make that healthy food available and accessible to everyone, regardless of financial status. Becca Tuholski, Food Access Coordinator for NWI Food Council was instrumental in not only helping us get SNAP approval for our market, but in launching a “Double Up” program where grant funds allow shoppers to double their EBT purchase to receive additional produce items. Around the same time, local farmer, Tom Eich, owner of Kankakee Valley Homestead, took it upon himself to provide the funding to start our Community Match Fund which essentially triples the customers SNAP purchase at no cost to them.
This season, nearly $3,000 worth of vouchers have been distributed and redeemed. Not only is this getting fresher, healthier food to low-income families, it helps strengthen the local economy, as money is now going directly to local producers instead of big corporations. We were also able to partner with The Pax Center (Pax), a food-providing nonprofit organization serving LaPorte County. Representatives from Pax would pick up any unwanted food items from vendors at the end of the market that would otherwise go to waste. They are then able to get those items to people in the community who need them the most.
Not only were we able to make food accessible to more people at the market, we were also able to support several impactful organizations in our community throughout the season. We invited a different nonprofit each month to be our market beneficiary. We provided free promotion for these beneficiaries and they are invited to set up a booth free of charge in the market to raise awareness and collect donations. Vendors were invited to donate a portion of their sales from day (if they choose to, it was not a requirement) and we covered any processing fees for donations made through our site. With the help of our vendors, shoppers, and TC Members, over $4,500 was raised and donated to nonprofits that serve the La Porte area!
Our team is still in awe that there was so much giving (time, money, product, etc.) from everyone to make our goals of healthy food access, supporting small businesses and giving back a reality! It has been truly amazing to see so many people and organizations come together to make such a positive impact in the community. When you bring good people together, great things happen!
