Good Food Market Application
Introduction to Application
Good Food Markets are community markets that sell high quality, affordable fruits and vegetables. These markets bring healthy produce to neighbourhoods where it might not otherwise be available, and where farmers’ markets are not viable because sales are too low to cover costs.
Good Food markets feature seasonal, local produce plus imported favourites in order to offer the greatest quality and cultural value to the neighbourhoods they serve. Each market uniquely reflects its community and is a vibrant and important gathering place, providing opportunities for neighbourhoods to meet, share information and to celebrate.
Good Food Markets can become amazing gathering places. The nature of a successful market is the relationship between selling affordable produce and the ability of a market to be a gathering place that people want to hang out in. Lots of people equals lots of fresh produce sold to the community – combining all kinds of goals. Running the actual selling of produce is a lot of work – and fun! That means lots of opportunity for other volunteers and organizations to add great things to the market to make it a gathering place. Organizations and community groups have found many creative ways to do this!
1) Children’s activities (FoodShare has a whole kit of them)
2) Music (local school groups, seniors groups, buskers, choirs)
3) Nail painting and hair braiding (local youth groups activity)
4) Massage (area business charging for this as a vendor)
5) Local vendors selling clothing, prepared food items (yum), etc.
6) Dieticians and nutritionists doing food demos (Local health Centre)
Good Food Markets offer affordable prices and high quality fruits and vegetables. It is important that organizations and community groups that run markets recognize that the incredible potential markets have for community building goals, food security goals, and capacity building goals. However, they do not make a profit. Organizations and community groups have found many creative ways to address this that have added value to the community around them.
1) Integrating left over produce into a community kitchen and/or food program which cover the cost of the beautifully fresh produce
2) Integrating the fresh produce into a food bank, some of which have a small amount of money to pay for fresh produce
3) Adding other items to the market such as roasted corn, soups, etc. that help cover the loss of the produce AND add great flavours to the market.
These are just a few things that markets have had and FoodShare can sit down with you at either a training we have in the spring, or have you visit to hear about building a great market. Please fill out the application as you can. We want to support you in having a great market and know about many successful examples! You can call Angela ElzingaCheng at 416 363 6441 ex 227 to support with making markets community gathering places and running the market. Call Moorthi at 416 363 6441 ex244 to talk about ordering and distribution logistics.
GOOD FOOD MARKET PROGRAM
APPLICATION FOR NEW MARKETS
Thank you for your interest in starting a Good Food Market in your community. In order to start a Good Food Market, we must first determine if FoodShare, and your community have the capacity, and resources available to do so. We would also like you to determine the goals you have for running a market so we can support you in attaining these goals.
Name of Market:
Name of Organizer(s
Contact information for Organizer(s):
______
Name of all organizations that will provide support:
Organization / What will they provide (resources, roles)D
Market Address:
Date of application:
Desired Start date:
Duration (all year, monthly, bi-weekly, May-September etc):
Market time and day: Desired delivery day (please circle): Wednesday Thursday Friday
Desired delivery window (please circle): 8am to 12pm 12pm to 4pm
Location details (please select all that apply):
□ In a United Way priority community
□ At a Toronto Community Housing building
□ At a health center, community center, or social service center
Why do you want to start a Good Food market?
Why are you interested in starting a Good Food Market in your community?
Please select if any of the below goals apply to your market:
The market will improve food access in our community
The market will be an inviting place for community members to meet and socialize
The market will have entertainment and events to energies the community
The market will provide volunteer or employment opportunities for the community
Other:
Other:
Other:
Other:
How will you create a community place
According to research from Project for Public Spaces, a market is most successful if community members have 10 reasons to go there. Such as children’s activities, youth activities, music, other vendors, etc.
Can you list ten reasons why customers would want to visit your market?
What other products and activities do you want to include at your market?
What resources do you need, and do you have?
Must haves:
Please indicate what resources, from the list below, you have
· Dolly to transport produce
· Baskets to display produce
· Cash box
· Cash for float
· Calculators
· Tables
· Tent(s) (if an outdoor market)
Nice to haves:
Please indicate what resources you have
What resources are missing, that you must have or would like to have? Who can help you access these resources?
How will you overcome the most common obstacles?
Good Food Market’s can be excellent tools for making good healthy food accessible, while creating a vibrant community space. Below are some of the major challenges that markets face in reaching their goals.
Please let us know how you will overcome these challenges.
1. You want to offer a wider selection of produce and products but know that if you purchase everything you would like to offer, you will have lots of unsold produce. What do you do?
2. Volunteers and staff are overwhelmed with the amount of work and energy that running a market requires and in some cases only a few core people are left to run and organize the market.
3. The market is not able to sell enough of the produce they ordered (due to rain etc).
Please let us know how you will overcome these challenges.
What kind of impact will the GFM have on the community..?