In this podcast, I sit down with Christy Shell, of Calypso Farm and Liann Peryea, of Breadline. Southside Market is a project under the Calypso Farm umbrella and is supported by the staff at Calypso, while the free community meals are prepared by the Breadline chef, Liann Peryea and many other talented local chefs.
It’s a success story in creating a food and community focused, market where community and vendors come together to provide locally produced and created food to the most insecure area in our city. Vendors line up every Tuesday to offer abundance of produce, eggs, baked goods, preserves, flowers, mushrooms, salsa, meat and seafood to the community. There are discounts available to those who need to use them, no questions asked. There is a free community meal every week, free to all, no questions asked. Meals are served on real plates, and you see the same volunteers washing dishes every week. Recipes are handed out so you can try making the food at home. And the meals are delicious. Vegan options are often provided. Chef Liann has a passion for feeding people, and shows her care by making hundreds of meals for anyone that shows up to the market. She her team served 4000 meals last summer.
The Southside Market is a seasonal outdoor community market, located in the heart of Fairbanks’ South Cushman neighborhood, featuring Alaska grown & produced food. While this neighborhood is the most food insecure in our city, it is also a vibrant & active community with many members who participate in & support the Market. Along with the neighborhood steering committee, Calypso Farm organizes the Southside Market. This year, the Southside Market is coming into its TENTH summer of selling vegetables, eggs & other farm-based goods from farmers, bakers & local food makers.
The Southside Market is dedicated to making quality, local food accessible to everyone. In their commitment to food justice, the Southside Market accepts SNAP (food stamps), WIC, Senior Farmers Market Coupons & offers “Pay What You Can” discounts – up to 50% off – to anyone in need.
Part of this work is a years-long cooperative partnership between Calypso Farm & the Bread Line to provide Community Meals featuring seasonal foods from Market vendors. Whether you’re a market customer, a Southside neighbor, or just in need of good company & good food – everyone is welcome at this table. In the recent federal cuts, a unique & important community program lost the funding that made it possible. Community Meals was funded by the USDA’s successful Local Food Purchasing Agreement (LFPA) program. The LFPA paid local farmers to share their harvests with anti-hunger nonprofits. Through the Southside Market, the LFPA also reimbursed local farmers for produce distributed to food insecure residents at Southall, Golden Towers & Golden Ages – all of whom are senior citizens or Alaskans with disabilities. This investment in local economy is needing support. Please donate to the community meals program, by visiting www.breadlineak.org/donate.
Please note in comments section of your donation form that this donation is for community meals. Thank you.