Penn Street Market Committed to Fresh Food Access in the Heart of Reading

COMMITTED TO FRESH FOOD ACCESS IN THE HEART OF READING

Every Thursday from June 2 to September 29, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM,

the Penn Street Market transforms the courtyard at 638 Penn Street into a vibrant fresh food destination in the heart of Downtown Reading. The Market is a place for all to shop and enjoy access to: • Baked goods • Fresh herbs + flowers • Fresh meats • Local farm fresh produce And cooking demonstrations paired with nutrition education from The Food Trust (TFT) of Philadelphia. In 2018, the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) took on the administration and management of the Penn Street Market with help from partners like the City of Reading, the Reading Parking Authority, The Food Trust of Philadelphia, Alvernia University Bog Turtle Creek Farm, the Berks Agricultural Resource Network (BARN) and more. The Penn Street Market team focuses on: • Contributing to Downtown Reading revitalization by transforming a public space into a vibrant destination on a weekly basis

• Cultivating a thriving seasonal event through entertainment, education and community programming designed to engage all community members • Promoting access to healthy and locally sourced food in the City of Reading This season, the team is excited to welcome back vendors that customers have come to know and love. These vendors bring locally sourced fresh foods into the City of Reading including a variety of nutritious, high-quality vegetables and fruits as well as meat, bread and other shelf-stable products. Not only are most of the produce and goods sold at the market locally sourced, they are often sold directly from farm to consumer, so produce does not travel far and is literally farm fresh! Buying food directly from the producer reduces the cost of items while supporting growers, farmers and the local economy. City residents and nearby office-dwellers alike can walk a few blocks and have their pick of a variety of fresh, home-grown goods.

ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY FOOD

In 2013, a Food Assessment for the City of Reading was conducted to determine the extent of food access and insecurity. The Assessment found that there are fewer grocery store establishments per 100,000 people than the rest of the state and the country. It was determined that to address access to healthy, fresh foods it is critical to continue to strengthen and promote the farmers market network in the City of Reading. Although this Food Assessment may seem dated, the COVID-19 pandemic underscored issues in both food supply chains and food insecurity, particularly among the most vulnerable populations: children and the elderly. In 2015, the Penn Street Market was re-imagined, expanded and found a new home at 5th and Penn Streets in Downtown Reading to answer the call for fresh foods in a centralized location in the City of Reading. As in the beginning, a central feature of the Penn Street Market continues to be the nutrition education programming and demonstrations developed by The Food Trust (TFT) of Philadelphia – Reading, PA team. The educational demonstrations are interactive and bi-lingual, offering opportunities for everyone to learn about healthy food choices and ingredients. All participants come away with a weekly recipe that features seasonal fruits and vegetables that can be immediately purchased from vendors at the market. While the Penn Street Market provides fresh food access in the City of Reading, it is only available seasonally for four months of the year, leaving a nine-month gap. In 2019, the GRCA and TFT took a broader, more strategic look at year-round fresh food accessibility in the City of Reading. In doing so, the incentive program “Berks Farm Bucks” was established to serve as city-wide fresh food currency. Thanks to ongoing support from The Friends of Reading Hospital, the Berks County Area Agency on Aging, GusNIP and more, many shoppers are eligible for Berks Farm Bucks, which increases their spending power for fresh fruits and vegetables: • Shop with Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) checks (WIC + S-FMNP) – every $6 check, receive $4 of Berks

Farm Bucks • Shop using your ACCESS card at participating vendors – every $5 spent, receive $2 Berks Farm Bucks In 2021, the team continued expanding the program’s reach through another program-based partnership with Penn State Health St. Joseph’s (PSUSJ) Veggie Rx program. The Veggie Rx program adopted the Berks Farm Bucks as their program currency, streamlining the incentive system for the customer and expanding the food access options for those eligible to utilize both programs. This partnership gives Veggie Rx users the ability to shop at any of the sites within the Berks Farm Bucks network. The Penn Street Market’s commitment to empower shoppers through regional and local incentive programs continues today. Year after year the food incentive programs, now all under Berks Farm Bucks, have continued to see growth in spending. Since 2015, there has been a 473% increase in federal and state incentive spending (FMNP, WIC, etc.) from shoppers. On an annual basis, over 80,000 pounds of produce have been purchased by families across the Berks Farm Bucks network. Learn more about the Berks Farm Bucks program at BerksFarmBucks.org.

Woman Owned

Celebrating 15 years in business

560 Van Reed Rd. Suite 205 Wyomissing, PA 19610 610-750-6107 3607 Perkiomen Ave. Reading, PA 19606 610-404-8025

ROLE IN REVITALIZATION

Studies have shown that farmers markets are key drivers of downtown revitalization. They inspire creative energy, promote foot traffic, utilize public space, support local agriculture, encourage walkability and nutrition and provide opportunities for social interactions all while targeting a variety of demographics. According to Lauren Suerth of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in an article Farmers Market Impact, “Farmers markets activate places and foster unique interactions. Oftentimes, they locate in underutilized spaces and they generate a dynamic flow of people into the area and within the place. Residents and tourists are attracted to markets for the ability to source food and goods from local farmers and businesses, but they also fulfill important noneconomic purposes. They are an engaging social setting where people meet over common interests and self-expressions.” The Penn Street Market is for everyone! The team loves to bring people together on a weekly basis in the heart of Downtown Reading. Check out the Penn Street Market on Facebook or Instagram for regular updates or visit PennStMarket.org for more information.

WHEN + WHERE

Every Thursday, June 2 through September 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 638 Penn Street, Reading, PA

PARKING

Parking is incredibly convenient at the neighboring surface lot in the 600 Block of Penn Street. Special thanks to the Reading Parking Authority for their partnership with the Penn Street Market. 2 By Aaron Gantz, Senior Director Economic Development, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance

SWIPE

Your ACCESS card Every $5 = $2 of Berks Farm Buck

SPEND

Shop with your FMNP checks (WIC + S-FMNP) Every $6 check = $4 of Berks Farm Bucks

LEARN

Through The Food Trust nutrition & cooking demo, every lesson = $4 of Berks Farm Bucks

SHOP

Using your Berks Farm Bucks on fruits & vegetables at participating locations throughout the City