This piece was submitted to the Citizen Journal project of the Peter-McGill Community Council. Please note that the opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of our organization. This project aims to create space for the voices of residents, students and friends of the neighbourhood through articles, photos, videos, and podcasts in any language. Are you interested in contributing? Contact us at benevolat@petermcgill.org!
On Friday November 26th, Innovation Youth held its last farmers market of 2021, under its Innovation assistance program.
Innovation Youth is a non-profit organisation that offers a community space for youth and families in the downtown area. It represents values held dearly by Montrealers. It aims to see youth engaged in their community and better able to integrate their social, family, and academic lives. Innovation youth offers services that focus on helping youth in the areas of academic success, artistic expression, the development of integrated relationships in youth’s lives, physical wellbeing, and food security.
Innovation Youth’s food security program, Innovation Assistance, holds farmer’s markets on the fourth Friday of every month. The farmers market was developed as an initiative to help bring the community together and tackle social poverty; it is not only an opportunity for the community to support local producers, but also an opportunity for members of the community to support each other! The market is open to everyone, and they are run on a pay-what-you-can model as part of Innovation Youth’s commitment to Just Food.
Because it is such a community based event the volunteerism is a very important aspect of the market. Most of the people that work there are volunteers, not staff, they are residents of Peter-McGill with a deep sense of community.
“It’s about working towards food justice but also working towards building a community.”
Micah
“In my life, I’ve been helped by people who didn’t have to help me. They did it out of the goodness of their hearts. I was in a position to give back. Time is a valuable commodity, people generally don’t realize this.”
Margaret Black
All proceeds generated from each farmer’s market directly funds the family packs program, which provides families with basic baby-care items and necessities each month.