THE JOY OF COMMUNITY

POP-UP FARMERS MARKETS BRING FRESH FOOD—AND FUN—TO FAMILIES IN NEED.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LINE DANCED AT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS MARKET?

For families who rely on Joyful Food Markets for healthy food in Washington, D.C., dancing is just part of the fun.

“We incorporate music, dancing and costumes to make an exciting and vibrant market,” says Donna Banzon, director of healthy markets at Martha’s Table, a nonprofit that supports children, families and communities. Joyful Food Markets pop up each month at 53 elementary schools in the nation’s capital and have become “community events to enjoy and promote healthy food—something everyone deserves” she adds.

Joyful Food Markets were launched in 2015 by Martha’s Table in partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank and DC Health. In neighborhoods where many residents have to ride the bus for an hour to shop, the markets are set up in schools because parents and caregivers “are already there, picking up their children after school,” Donna says.

Joyful Food Markets provide a 15-pound bag of groceries at no cost to the school’s families. About 70% of each bag consists of fresh produce, and is rounded out by pantry shelf staples like pasta.

When the COVID-19 crisis forced the Joyful Food Market program to pause their community events, the gatherings may have stopped, the giving didn’t. Volunteers continued bagging the groceries to be picked up grab-and-go style every week at D.c.-area schools. The program also began sharing “Quarantine-ncook” recipes on social media, encouraging program participants to cook the healthy meals at home.

It’s this kind of engagement— whether shared through social distance or gathered together at the market—that keeps families coming back. They tell Martha’s Table that they look forward to Joyful Food Markets each month, and have noticed that their children are more willing to try new foods after sampling them at the market. And, Donna says, “That’s something that really gratifying to see.”

The number of JFM families who consume vegetables at least five days a week

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

TASTEOFHOME.COM