NEW ORLEANS – Building on seven years of community investment, the Sankofa Community Development Center is building a healthy food hub in the Lower Ninth Ward.
The Sankofa FRESH STOP MARKET will open Saturday, October 24, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 5029 St Claude Ave, (at the corner of Forstall and St. Claude).
The market will sell fruits and vegetables grown in Sankofa's gardens, as well as, healthy food options purchased from local farmers and food distributors.
The organization currently sells over 1,000 pounds of produce monthly to customers through Sankofa's mobile markets, which partner with community based spaces throughout the Greater New Orleans area to bring fresh produce to health clinics, faith-based spaces, schools, and senior citizen centers.
The new FRESH STOP MARKET will expand the nonprofit’s mission, providing the local neighborhood with daily access to healthy, fresh produce in the Lower Ninth Ward.
“Ten years after Katrina, and the Lower Ninth Ward is still a food desert,” Rashida Ferdinand, Founder and Executive Director of Sankofa Community Development Center, said. “As a Lower 9 resident, I think it’s time to focus on holistic wellness—starting with healthy food options.”
The project was awarded a first place designation by the “Lots of Progress Competition” by Propeller Innovation Center, and the program is a partner of New Orleans Redevelopment Authority.
The grand opening of the FRESH STOP MARKET will feature a variety of activities around healthy food and sustainable land use, including Second Harvest, Global Green, and Xavier University College of Pharmacy.
