Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland's Farmer's Market is Back and Better than Ever

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36601 Ford Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 724.721.2310

Westland's Farmer's Market is Back and Better than Ever

Westland, MI - Westland's Farmer's Market is back for the 2013 season, and it's better than ever. In 2012, the United States Department of Agriculture awarded the City of Westland a Farmer's Market Promotion Program grant in the amount of $81,020 in order to implement a transportation initiative and promotional campaign to increase food desert residents' access to and use of the Westland Farmer's Market. This funding has helped the City to re-create the market this season with a weekly bus route to and from the market which will begin in June, a new website, signage, management and upgraded aesthetics, which have all contributed to attracting more vendors for the 2013 season.

This year the Market will be managed by Growing Hope, an organization dedicated to helping people improve their lives and communities through gardening and healthy food access. The Market will run every Thursday from 3-7pm, through October. Just as last year, the Market will be located in the City Hall parking lot, located at 36601 Ford Road. Each week will bring new and exciting entertainment for the whole family, inclusive of face painters and musicians. There will be new vendors, as well as those from last year, and each week at least one vendor will be offering produce samplings so that patrons may try new fruits or vegetables and learn about their nutritional value.

Also new this season, the Westland's Farmer's Market will be expanding their customer base by accepting food assistance programs, such as; SNAP, EBT, WIC Project FRESH, Senior Project FRESH and Double Up Food Bucks.

"Many Westland citizens live in food deserts so they don't have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, providing a bus to the food desserts and adding the food assistance programs to this effort will ensure that everyone has equal access to healthy and local produce," Christine Easley, Market Manager from Growing Hope, said, "This is very important to the City of Westland."

Updates on the Westland's Farmer's Market will be provided through various lines of communication including; a brand new website and e-newsletter and on Facebook, at, Facebook.com/westlandfarmersmarket. These online tools will provide up-to-date information about the vendors at the market, in-season produce with accompanying recipes, bus route times and locations and more.

For more information, contact Shannon Ackron, Administrative Secretary, at (734) 467-3200.

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The City of Westland is the 10th largest city in Michigan with a population of over 84,000. The city's residential development is an excellent blend of single family homes, apartments and condominiums. The broad selection of housing opportunities is complimented by over 1500 acres of well-maintained parks and nature trails as well as a highly rated municipal golf course. Also available is a skate park, ice arena, a state-of-the-art Library and novel city park themes that are fun and family-friendly.

Westland has the location, land, infrastructure, and leadership, under Mayor William R. Wild to attract new industry and help existing businesses redevelop properties and to maintain competitiveness in today's global economy. Six modern platted industrial parks on 320 acres are served by class "A" internal roads, with up to date utilities and rail access available within two of the parks. Westland is conveniently located within the center of southeastern Michigan's expressway system, minutes north of Detroit Metropolitan Airport, and ideally located between downtown Detroit and Ann Arbor.

Westland is the area's premier "Shopping and Dining Destination". Westland Shopping center, one of the country's original four regional malls, boasts 80 retail stores and has anchored Westland's commercial district for more than 30 years. Westland's diversity and progressive planning offers residents a wide variety of life experiences, and make Westland truly the "All American City".