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 See you in May!Thanks to everyone for a successful season! The tents are folded and put away as we experience the short daylight hours of a Northwest winter. Bulbs have been planted, fields rest under layers of frost and snow, seed catalogs are landing in mailboxes. We'll see you at 11:00 am on Mother's Day for another Market season! Lots of ways to get the news in 2012: Subscribe to FreshMail, our Market's weekly email about activities at the Market, friend us on Facebook, subscribe to our Twitter feed. 2011 Market UpdateWith all the numbers now in after our December indoor market, Friends of Third Place Commons is pleased to report that the 2011 Lake Forest Park Farmers Market was our most successful season ever. Attendance at the market was consistently high with some days drawing over 8,000 shoppers. Despite the economy, our farmers maintained their high levels of sales, and new vendors found Lake Forest Park to be the most supportive market to do business. Our community tents bustled every weekend, providing an opportunity for many nonprofit groups to meet the public. Our 2011 season also marked significant growth in our food assistance program. Many more people were able to shop with Market Bucks coupons, made available to them through partner agencies in the northend. Begun as a pilot project with funds from United Way, this innovative program has helped our hungry neighbors feed their families since 2008. This year, over $15,500 worth of Market Bucks were redeemed at the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market. Funding from two grants enabled Friends of Third Place Commons to distribute more coupons this year. We are especially grateful to the Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore, which donated $7,500 for Market Bucks. United Way provided additional funds. The coupons were distributed throughout the season to: Hopelink Shoreline, Hopelink Northshore, Brookside Elementary, LFP Elementary, Ballinger Homes, Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Center, Kenmore Emergency Housing Shelter, Popy's Café, Kenmore Emergency Housing Shelter, Vineyard Summer Lunch Program, and Ronald Methodist Summer Lunch Program. Friends of Third Place Commons, the sponsor and administrator of the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market, developed the Market Bucks program, which is now a model throughout the nation. With an ongoing commitment from Church of the Redeemer for Friends will continue this successful program into the future. Anyone wishing to make a donation to the 2012 Market Bucks program can do so online. Friends of Third Place Commons is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, so contributions are deductible. The Farmers Market was first established in 2005, and has become a summer institution, opening on Mother's Day and running through the third week in October. Friends also hosts two indoor markets during the winter holidays. Our Market in the NewsFor some people in our community, fresh produce is a luxury. As sponsors of the market, Friends of Third Place Commons worked with United Way to develop a pilot program that would bring fresh, nutritious, and local food to people who often rely on food banks, especially toward the end of the month and at critical times like back-to-school season.
Friends of Third Place Commons keeps administration costs at zero by giving Market Bucks directly to trusted agencies and schools. They identify those most in need of food assistance, often people who are suddenly without an income. Read more about the program in Shoreline Patch: Market Bucks Serve Those in Need The Information Table has answers! Follow the Market on Twitter and FaceBook this year. Find out what’s happening at the Market, get FreshMail weekly. Who’s at Our Market?Here's a list of farmers, producers and places to eat at the 2011 Market. To Market, to MarketGet the 2011 Market Guide from Puget Sound Fresh! A guide to local farmers, producers, harvest schedules, special events and more. Plan a trip to a local farm this summer! There may be copies at the Market Information table at the Market entrance. Market Galleries
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By Car:  We gladly accept SNAP benefits, WIC and Senior Vouchers. The Lake Forest Park Market works with partner organizations and agencies to distribute Market Bucks, a food assistance program made possible with funding from United Way of King County, Church of the Redeemer, and donations from generous individuals. To find out about food assistance eligibility for yourself, or for a friend or relative, contact the Center for Human Services at 206.440.7300, or Hopelink at 425.869.6000. Both have offices in Shoreline. You can also call one of these toll-free numbers for information:
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After a successful pilot phase, Friends of Third Place Commons was awarded two more United Way grants, and has helped put over $30,000 worth of healthy food on the plates of our neighbors in need. In 2011, the Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore stepped up to help fund the program, and their generosity is making a difference in our community this summer.
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