Fight Hunger 5K results and what to expect at farmer markets in October

Thank you for supporting the Fight Hunger 5K!
Thank you to everyone who made GardenShare's second annual Fight Hunger 5K a success!  

116 people turned out to run or walk the 5K course and, together with the business sponsors, they raised $8,500 to support GardenShare's mission of solving the problem of hunger in St. Lawrence County.  The funds raised will help low and moderate-income people access fresh, locally grown food and in the process, support our local farmers.  What could be better than that?

The top fundraising individual for the Fight Hunger 5K was John O'Connor who raised $438 and was recognized with a basket of local food donated by several area farms, including Squeak Creek Apiaries, Sweetcore Farm, and Tupper's Hilltop Maple Treats.

The top fundraising team for the Fight Hunger 5K was SLU sorority Kappa Delta Sigma who raised, in total, $255.  This group will get a pizza party, donated by Clarkson Catering Services by ARAMARK, as a reward.



Giant thanks to the presenting sponsors for the Fight Hunger 5K:  St. Lawrence Health Systems and Stauffer Farms.  Both have been ongoing and generous supporters of GardenShare's work.  



They were joined at the Fight Hunger 5K by the following friend sponsors:  Curran Renewable Energy,  Hyde-Stone Mechanical Contractors, KM Golf Academy, North Country Savings Bank, Ole Deckside, Save-a-Lot, St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union, and Tupper Lake Supply.  In addition, there were generous in-kind donations from ProAct and Save-a-Lot.

And of course, thank you and congratulations to the hard-working team of volunteers who put this event together and who were there doing whatever needed to be done on Sunday!  Each of you exemplifies what community is all about!
October at the Farmers Markets

Four of our county's markets stay open through October and while the mix of produce changes, there is still plenty of it. You are likely to find: apples, beans, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, eggplant, garlic, herbs, kale, lettuce, onions, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, spinach, squash, swiss chard, tomatoes, and turnips.  In addition, the markets frequently have other food, such as maple syrup, honey, and baked goods, and also local wine and craft vendors.
  • Canton - at the village park, Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 2:00
  • Gouverneur - at the village park every Thursday from 9:00 to 2:00 
  • Massena - at Danforth Place, Sundays and Thursdays 10:00 to 2:00
  • Potsdam - at Ives Park every Saturday from 9:00 to 2:00
Remember that debit and credit cards and SNAP EBT cards are welcome at all the farmers markets in St. Lawrence County.

Have you shopped at a St. Lawrence County farmers market this season?  Give us some feedback with our  market customer survey!

This just in!

With generous assistance from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, GardenShare has been doubling SNAP benefits at farmers markets in St. Lawrence County this season.  Individual donations from the  beginning of the farmers market season supplemented the grant funds.

What a win-win program it has been!  Low-income families get access to fresh, healthy, locally grown produce and the money stays with local farmer in the local economy.

The effort has been so successful that GardenShare has run out of grant funds with a month left in the farmers market season!

We don't want to stop the program, so a generous, anonymous individual has committed to donate $1,000 if we can raise just $500 from others!

Will you help?  Your gift of any size will make a difference and will be matched 2 for 1 by the challenge!  Go  here to make a donation and help meet the challenge!

News in Brief

GardenShare is seeking nominations for the annual Growing Community Award.  This award recognizes individuals or organizations who work to strengthen food security in Northern New York.   The nomination deadline has been extended to October 3!  Please go here for more information on the award and a simple, online nomination process.


Hunger 101 i s an interactive, role-playing exercise that allows participants to experience some of the challenges of trying to feed a family on a tight budget.   Here's some of the feedback we've received from recent presentations in answer to the question, "What is the most important thing you learned from Hunger 101?"
  • That the issue of hunger is systemic, but there are small things we can do to help create change on a local level
  • How hard it is to get by, even with SNAP
  • How hard it can be to acquire nutritious food on a limited budget
  • 20% of St. Lawrence County families do not make enough to provide sufficient food
If you can help connect us to a group that might be interested in a Hunger 101 presentation, we would greatly appreciate it.


Volunteers needed to help plan Cabin Fever Trivia Night for early 2017.  Planning committee will start work this month, so get in touch if you would like to help!
GardenShare | 315-261-8054 | www.gardenshare.org
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