Recognition raises awareness, community involvement
Coordinators of the URI free farmers market celebrate after winning their sustainability award. PHOTO CREDIT: uri.edu
This past summer, URI’s Free Farmers Market (FFM) was awarded the National Sustainability Award for Outreach and Education by the National Association of College and University Food Services.
“The sustainability award is an amazing honor that the Free Farmers’ Market has been recognized for,” second-year and Assistant PR Coordinator for the market, Julia Canuel, said. “The award has raised awareness of the resources available for students and has allowed us to get more clubs, organizations, and students involved.”
According to Kelli Kidd, co-coordinator of the farmers market and URI’s sports and health services nutrition specialist, the market started last year with tables from the back of her van, then evolved when they got a space on the quad.
“Our vision was to have a collaborative wellness effort, where different agencies from across campus were combining,” Kidd said. “The award was a joint effort between the FFM providing produce to the students on campus and also having different resources like Campus Rec and counseling services.”
Kidd said that because of the award, the market has gotten more visibility, encouraging more students to volunteer as well as more sponsors and donations. Kidd highlights that working with different people and groups at URI has supported the market’s success.
From gathering produce from plant professor Rebecca Brown at the Agronomy Farm in West Kingston, Rhode Island and eggs from Peckham Farm on 55 Peckham Farm Rd, to working with volunteers, the FFM has grown exponentially since its first market back in Sept. 2021.
To those a part of the FFM, the award meant a great deal.
“We work hard to provide access to sustainably grown fresh produce to our students here at URI so receiving this award makes us so happy to see that we are so appreciated by our community,” Liz Geer, fourth-year student majoring in communication and public relations and head public relations coordinator for the FFM, said. “Access to fresh grown produce, especially at no cost, for our students is something that we always want them to have.”
In addition, Geer is hopeful that after winning the award, more organizations will join to provide information to URI’s students. Canuel stated that clubs on campus have already reached out to pass out free items such as plants and health products.
“The Sustainability Award really shows how much hard work is put into the market to ensure we can give as many students as possible fresh produce for free, while also educating them on sustainable food techniques,” Canuel said. Our main goal is to increase outreach to as many URI students as possible.”
The FFM is scheduled every Thursday up until October 27 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 to 3 p.m. Fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, beans, kale, basil, melon, potatoes, carrots, and apples are available at the market.
“We truly hope that the market will continue to grow and flourish as the future progresses,” Geer said. “We want URI to be a place of sustainability, support, and access. All of which we work hard to provide.”