A project to help address food insecurity and community health on the south end of Peoria is entering its next phase.
The “Local Foods, Local Places” program — a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — aims to improve access to healthy food and boost economic opportunities for local farmers in select cities.
Peoria was chosen for the program last year. It allowed for a pilot farmers market at the old Aldi store on Western Avenue for three weekends in November. The Southside Farmers Market will return later this summer for an eight-week stint, with the help of new grant dollars.
Martha Ross of Southside Community United for Change will oversee the market, which kicks off August 19.
“It will be every Wednesday for those eight weeks, from 2 to 6 p.m.,” she said. “We tried to stay away from the weekend because there are other markets going on and we want to complement them and offer our market to some of their constituents.”
In addition to the farmers market, a food hub and community resource center is also in the works. Ross said they’re partnering with organizations like the Peoria City/County Health Department, Heartland Health Services, OSF Healthcare, and others to provide health screenings, teach cooking classes, and help patrons apply for various social services.
Dwayne Harris of Intangible Mindz Agriculture Development will coordinate the food hub.
“My main role is to meet with a lot of the local farms around the Peoria area and establish a hub where we can bring in food from the local farmers, as well as wholesale bulk — hundreds of pounds, instead of at the farmers market where they may be trying to [smaller volumes],” he said.
Harris said that will come in handy for restaurants, schools, and other businesses around Peoria — not just those in the 61605 zip code.
“I’m trying to establish a relationship, not just with the customer, but with certain businesses, directly to the farmer,” he said.
Harris said the eventual goal is to set up a permanent food co-op on the south end of town. For now, the next phase of the project is scheduled to run through mid-October.
Those interested in becoming a vendor at the Southside Farmers Market can contact Martha Ross at (309)453-2062. She said informational materials are available in English, as well as Spanish for Hispanic-owned businesses.
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