NEW YORK, Aug. 13, 2020 / — As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance social services and provide the local community better access to fresh foods, Fairstead, a fully-integrated real estate firm committed to affordable housing, announced today that it has partnered with Down to Earth Farmers Markets and the Goddard Riverside nonprofit organization to host a farmers market on Saturday mornings outside its 1,802-unit Savoy Park Apartments complex in Central Harlem.
Located on the east side of Lenox Avenue/Malcolm X Boulevard between West 140th and West 141st Streets, the market will operate every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 3 p.m., August 15 through November 28th.
Dacotah Rousseau, Director of Markets and Community at Down to Earth Farmers Markets said, “The Savoy Park Farmers Market is a true community effort, bringing together residents and community services to connect Central Harlem to the people who grow, raise and make food right here in New York State. Now more than ever it is critical that New Yorkers have a safe, stable and accessible local food system.”
The Savoy Park Farmers Market will begin its first season as a farm stand market, featuring two small scale farms from the New York area. The farms will provide a variety of seasonal, locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as eggs and raw honey. The Savoy Park Farmers Market will accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) EBT and Farmers Market Nutrition Program WIC and Seniors checks. Learn more at www.downtoearthmarkets.com.
“We are excited to partner with Down to Earth Farmers Markets and Goddard Riverside to bring high-quality food to the local Savoy Park residents as well as the entire Central Harlem community,” added Franchel Mendoza, Social Services Coordinator at Fairstead. “Fairstead believes strongly in providing the local community with easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables, especially during these challenging times. The new Savoy Park Farmers Market offers the opportunity for residents to conveniently purchase healthy food for their families while supporting local vendors.”
Savoy Park Farmers Market:Location: East side of Lenox Avenue/Malcolm X Boulevard between West 140th and West 141st Streets.
Open: Saturdays, August 15- November 28th, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Vendors: 4E Farm (Long Island, New York) and Alex’s Tomato Farm (New Jersey and Sprakers, New York).
Here are New York State guidelines for shopping at the farmers market:
• Please wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth.
• Leave 6 feet of space between yourself and the person in front of you if you find yourself in a line (about two arm lengths).
• Send just one person to the farmers market to shop.
• Take social conversations with friends and neighbors outside the market area (but continue to follow the social distancing rules!)
• Ask for the products you want to purchase, and the salesperson will gather it together for you at the register. Do not touch or lean on or over displays.
About Fairstead: Fairstead is a vertically integrated real estate investor, developer, owner and operator specializing in affordable and mixed-income housing. Since 2014, Fairstead has acquired and/or developed more than $4 Billion of multifamily property across the country, and today owns a portfolio of 12,000 apartments in 14 states. The company’s comprehensive platform provides hands-on expertise across all multifamily disciplines, including acquisitions, development, design and construction, energy and sustainability, property management and social services. For more information, visit www.fairstead.com.
About Down to Earth Farmers Markets: Down to Earth Farmers Markets is a family-owned business based in New York’s Hudson Valley. For 30 years, it has created and managed farmers markets in the New York City area. It works to bring cooks and eaters together with regional farmers and local food makers to create food communities, improving access to fresh, local foods, strengthening the local food system and supporting small scale food businesses. Down to Earth Farmers Markets’ mission is to: Create economic opportunities for local farmers, processors, and consumers to trade with one another for mutual benefit, Celebrate our food culture together to enhance community life, and Cultivate knowledge, awareness, and practices among consumers and producers to care for the environment and build the local food economy. Down to Earth Farmers Markets is a “Best for the world” Certified B Corp.
About Goddard RiversideFor more than 100 years, Goddard Riverside has been committed to investing in people and strengthening community by meeting New Yorkers’ most essential needs. Through 27 programs across 22 sites, Goddard Riverside provides comprehensive educational, cultural and recreational programs for New Yorker of all ages, including early childhood education, after school, employment support, college access, youth programs, homeless outreach, senior centers and legal assistance.