The All-kids Mobile Farmer's Market
After hearing about a program in Sacramento, California, we have added a very interesting and unique use for our new mobile market--the All-Kids Mobile Farmer's Market!
The above photo shows children from our various programs in Summer of 2018 being very happy about receiving fresh fruits and veggies from the All-Kids Mobile Farmer’s Market!
Our Mobile Farmer's Market, filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, will visit school backpack programs, summer camps, food banks, schools--anywhere there are kids! Children will enter the vehicle and, with the help of their parents/adults or perhaps older children, they will have their own choice of fruits and veggies. We also hope to add a small educational component to their choice i.e. if we have tomatoes, we will have a sign pointing out that tomatoes have Vitamin C, etc. We'll also have recipe cards the kids can take home and cook with their family!
We'll use the Mobile Farmer's Market for the All-Kids Farmer's Market
Sacramento's program has been quite successful and their observation has been that kids who make their own choice tend to actually eat what they choose. They also bring them home including their families in the decision, often helping to prepare of cook with them. Thus, our mission of increasing consumption of at-risk children and families using having more fresh fruit and vegetables is met!
This will be the first such vehicle and program and, to our knowledge, the only All-Kids Farmer's Market program of its kind in Pennsylvania.
We are looking for volunteers to help with the program. To drive,
You must have a PA operator's license with a good driving record and
Be at least 25 years old.
Must pass a Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance before participation. (A clearance is free of charge for volunteers and is available online. The process is relatively simple.)
To only volunteer, you must:
Be at least 18 years of age but can be accompanied by a parent if you are age 12 and above.
Pass a Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance before participation. (A clearance is free of charge for volunteers and is available online. The process is relatively simple.)
Click here for details on how to apply online. You can call Mike Macchioni, Gemma's Angels president for more information, at (717) 298-0150, extension 5.
Lower Dauphin Price Building First Regular Stop For All-Kids Market
Price Building Students are all-smiles after loading up on fresh fruits and vegetables
Since January of 2018, the Gemma's Angels All-Kids Mobile Farmer's Market has been making regular stops at the Price Building Program of the Lower Dauphin School District in Hummelstown.
The students, who are mostly older middle to high school age, take full advantage of the beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables. Most Wednesdays we stop, students tell us how they share the produce they take home with their families. "Even more importantly," said Michael Macchioni, Gemma's Angels president, "hearing the kids tell how they are preparing meals at home with what they pickup at the Mobile Market is exactly what we envisioned with this program."
