On Common Ground News

“We are so excited to support innovation within the RCPS school nutrition department and to honor our state’s small, sustainable growers in the process,” said Emily Hennessee, program manager of The Georgia ACRE Collective. “Through this work, we hope to build the case for statewide adoption of a local food incentive program for school meals across Georgia.”

Blavity

[The Common Market] aims to help local farms provide food to essential institutions such as schools, hospitals, universities, and large-scale government contracts.

“This past year has been very, very good for us,” Asa Ysrael, head farmer at Local Lands, said. “The LFPA (Local Food Purchase Assistance) program has allowed us to scale up. It gives us security, so we don’t have to worry about if the product gets sold. We can focus on other variables that aren’t controllable. I’m happy about that.”

Black Enterpise

“Historically underserved farmers have long been excluded from wholesale opportunities,” explained The Common Market Southeast Executive Director Bill Green.

“This program builds on the work begun during the USDA’s pandemic-era contracts to engage historically underserved producers, promoting sustainability and equity in local food systems while delivering fresh, ecologically responsible produce to communities.”

The Campbell's Company

A key element of Full Futures is helping procure nutritious and locally sourced ingredients for schools to incorporate into student menus. This year, the Camden School Nutrition team was again able to work with The Common Market and its farm partners to receive weekly deliveries of locally sourced produce from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Exchange Press

"In partnership with The Common Market, The Caring Center sources as much fresh produce and protein as possible from local farmers (including the delicious, local apples Ms. Erica used recently to make “Apple-pie-in-a-cup” with the children.

11Alive

New numbers show a local nonprofit has distributed more than $2 million since 2022. It's money helping Black, Indigenous and female farmers grow in Georgia. Local Lands, a Black-owned and family-operated poultry farm in Lamar County has benefited from the state funds distributed by The Common Market Southeast. Right now, the East Point nonprofit is helping farms like Local Lands through the state's Local Food Purchase Assistance Program.

In Ballard Spahr’s most recent pro bono representation of The Common Market, lawyers from the firm’s Business and Transactions Department advised on a strategic merger that extends the nonprofit’s network of healthy food hubs to the Greater Chicago area.

Pine Barrens Tribune

"On this particular day, The Common Market, a regional, non-profit wholesale food distributor, whose mission is to connect communities with good food from sustainable family farms, had supplied farm-fresh foods."

The Common Market, a renowned nonprofit local food distributor, is proud to announce its acquisition of Local Foods, a decade-old local food wholesaler in the Chicagoland area. This strategic acquisition represents a significant step forward in advancing the cause of local, sustainable food while creating a more resilient regional food supply chain.

Tap Into Newark

"The Coalition for Healthy Food in Newark Schools (HFiNS) steering committee includes agencies that serve Newark, including the Greater Newark Conservancy, The Common Market, FoodCorps NJ, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center/RWJ Barnabas Health, United Way of Greater Newark, Urban Agriculture Cooperative, Wellness in the Schools and more. All work together with the shared goal of transforming Newark’s school food system, these partners are committed to ensuring every student has access to fresh, healthy, and culturally relevant foods."

The Common Market in the News

Rockdale County Public Schools launches farm-to-school pilot to expose students to more fresh foods, expands opportunities to minority farmers

Black, Family-Owned Georgia Farm, Local Lands, Nabs Funding And Aims To Support 'The Southern Side Of Metro Atlanta'

Local Lands, A Black-Owned Farm, Widens Reach For Georgia Residents To Combat Food Deserts

Full Futures: Year Two of our School Nutrition Program

Cooking in the Classrom with Ms. Erica Lewis

How this East Point nonprofit is helping BIPOC, women-owned farmers grow

Boosting Healthy Food Solutions Where They're Needed Most

Zallie Community Foundation, in Partnership with Food Bank of South Jersey, Hosts Moble Food Pantry, Once a Month, at Fawn Lake Village in Shamong

PRESS RELEASE: The Common Market Strengthens Local Food Ecosystem with Acquisition of Local Foods

Coalition for Healthy Food in Newark Schools Announces Launch with Multi-Year Funding from Novo Nordisk

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