The new cafe will provide local residents with fresh produce grown right on the Brownsville farm run by Project EATS.
Brownsville's community-based urban farm Project EATS is growing! On Saturday, the farm located at the Marcus Garvey Apartments celebrated the opening of its first cafe which will provide residents with locally-grown vegetables and fresh juices, as well as prepared foods with recently-picked ingredients.
The grand opening event kicked off with a free community breakfast and a story hour for the local kids.
"The community-driven cafe at Marcus Garvey not only provides fresh produce at prices accessible to residents but fosters a greater sense of community as the food is grown on site," said Linda Bryant, founder and executive director of the Active Citizens Project, which operates Project EATS.
Project EATS is a neighborhood-based organization that empowers communities through urban farming, and by improving access to quality produce and fresh food. The citywide programming incorporates urban agriculture, social enterprise and art, and is primarily focused on lower-income communities. Project EATS is supported by L+M Development Partners, which owns and manages the Marcus Garvey Apartments, through a community investment program.
In addition to providing locally-grown produce, Project EATS also focuses on workforce development and community building. The staff at Project EATS not only teaches residents about farming but also runs an after-school program for high school students that trains them to be urban farmers with the potential to earn a summer job at a Project EATS farm.
The Project EATS Café will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00am to 3 :00pm throughout the fall, including a free weekly community breakfast on Saturdays. Pricing at the farm is geared toward the local median income in Brownsville, ensuring residents do not face barriers to fresh produce.
"We are very excited to have the Project EATS cafe fully operational at the Marcus Garvey Apartments," said Samantha Franklin, director of Community Investment, L&M Development Partners. "Project EATS has been a tremendous partner in our efforts to promote the availability of nutritious food options within our community, and we are excited that the partnership will deepen through the cafe. We hope residents take full advantage of the weekly breakfasts and healthy offerings at the cafe throughout the fall."
