Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, the Brooklyn Rescue Mission and the NYC Food and Fitness Partnership on Wednesday joined with community leaders and funding partner EmblemHealth to celebrate the official return of The Marcy Plaza Farmers Market with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Also in attendance were Assemblywoman Annette Robinson, Councilmember Robert Cornegy, Assemblymember Walter T. Moseley, Community Board 3 Chair Tremaine Wright, Community Board 3 District Board Manager Henry Butler, Deputy Director of the Brooklyn District Public Health Office Darrin Taylor, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Executive Vice President Tracey Capers, Brooklyn Rescue Mission Founders Reverends Robert and Devanie Jackson, Johnny Cobos, and Bed-Stuy BID Executive Director Michael Lambert.
"Our farmers are always stating they are willing to go out of their way to bring fresh food back into the community and they are willing to endure hardship to do it. So to be able to provide an opportunity and a venue for them to be able to give back to the African-American community in Bed-Stuy and the community at large is a great and wonderful opportunity for Brooklyn Rescue Mission Urban Harvest Center and for all of our farmers," said Devanie Jackson, the director of programs at Brooklyn Rescue Mission.
Wednesday's opening marked the market's second year at the new Marcy Plaza, which opened last year as part of $20 million Fulton Street revitalization project.
"The Marcy Plaza Farmers Market not only increases the community's access to healthy food; it also opens opportunity for community building and programming," said Tracey Capers, executive vice president of programs at Restoration. "The farmers market is a key part of a summer-long events and programming series planned for Restoration Plaza and Fulton Street."
Other highlights of the day included exercise classes in kickboxing and total body conditioning; a student performance by the Noel Pointer Foundation Summer Strings Program, a youth music camp; a youth t-shirt workshop by Xmental and a cooking demonstration by Chef Noah Sheetz.
The market will run weekly on Wednesdays through October 29, from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
NYC Healthbucks, which provide market visitors an additional $2 for every $5 spent in EBT will be available. And Foodtown, located within Restoration Plaza, will also offer five percent off to farmers and market shoppers who purchase additional produce from its store.
