Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams
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Farmers markets are powerful events that can connect communities, support small businesses, and fight hunger.
Key partnerships and government programs, like SNAP/EBT, can help you leverage your market to increase residents' access to fresh food.
Main Streets can use their role as a connector to build stronger local food systems.
Farmers' markets are a staple of many Main Street communities. They are often beloved community events full of life, music, families, and local food. But farmers' markets can do a lot more than bring people downtown—they can be tools to reduce hunger and help people buy fresh, healthy produce. A leading example of this approach, Roslindale Village Main Street in Boston, Mass., uses SNAP/EBT and the local Food Justice Coupon program to increase equity and access at Roslindale Farmers Market. I spoke to Anna VenRemoortel, Executive Director at Roslindale Village Main Street in Boston, Mass., to learn more about their market and the ways that Main Streets can strengthen local food systems.
We started our farmers' market in the late 1980s, just as Roslindale Village Main Street was getting started. We knew that farmers markets had the potential to increase foot traffic to highlight our local businesses and make our downtown a vibrant place to be on a Saturday morning. When we started, we were in a parking lot and didn’t have many farms. But now we’ve grown to one of the largest neighborhood farmers markets in Boston with many farms, specialty food vendors, and craft vendors. While Roslindale Village and our farmers market have changed since the 80s, we still find that the market has a great impact in supporting local businesses and fighting hunger in our community.
One special part of our market that was added as we have grown is our free programming! Every week we have free children’s activities, wellness activities, and musical performances. Almost all of our performers and entertainers are from Roslindale or Roslindale-based businesses. It provides an enriching experience for the community while supporting our small businesses.
We also offer reduced-fee stalls to any local business in Roslindale Village who would like to participate in the market. For example, one of our cafes sells lobster rolls at the market throughout the summer and a local art studio sells pottery made by their students! While the market serves the business community through increased foot traffic, we’ve also found that having businesses set up stalls allows them to make strong connections directly with new customers.
We have been accepting SNAP/EBT for years and we have set up a system which allows all of our qualifying vendors to participate. We process all of the SNAP/EBT transactions at our information table, which takes the burden off of small farms which may not have the technology required to accept this payment. This also allows us to pass out relevant information about other food access programs to our SNAP/EBT customers. We feel that it’s incredibly important to accept SNAP/EBT and we require all of our food vendors to participate in this program. While farmers markets can provide access to fresh food there is still often a barrier when it comes to cost. Accepting SNAP/EBT ensures that everyone in our community can have access to locally grown produce.
In addition to SNAP/EBT, we participate in the City of Boston’s Office of Food Justice Coupon Program. The Office of Food Justice distributes farmers' market coupons to organizations supporting low income residents. People can then bring their coupons to our market and use them like cash. We help to coordinate the reimbursement process to our vendors and educate the public about how to use these coupons. In 2022 alone, we processed $91,084 in SNAP/EBT and coupon benefits at the market, a 18.5% increase from 2021!
Absolutely! Main Streets have a unique ability to make connections across the community with city services, other nonprofits, and small businesses. This allows us to creatively form partnerships to address the needs in our community. Throughout our history, we have connected our vendors to community fridges, our SNAP/EBT recipients to farms, and city resources to our residents. We have found that fighting hunger can be a collaborative process with everyone in our neighborhood and Main Streets can be the grassroot connector we need to solve the complex issues our communities face!
Does your Main Street run a market or are you thinking about starting one up? Learn more about how farmers' markets can transform your community.
Hestia Creations, a Main Street America Allied Member, is this quarter's Main Spotlight advertiser. For more information about the products and services they provide to Main Street organizations, click here >
At Fort Vancouver in Vancouver, Washington, Native Hawaiians played a critical role in the success of the Hudson Bay Company. Today, Vancouver’s Hawaiian history and heritage plays a crucial role in efforts to reenergize the city’s historic downtown.
Urban Impact Inc., harnesses strategic investments and collaborative efforts to foster a vibrant and sustainable future, from visionary adaptive reuse ventures to transformative development grants for small businesses and property owners in Birmingham, Alabama's historic 4th Avenue Black Business District.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $20B in federal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) awards distributed to eight national non-profit consortiums. Main Street America looks forward to partnership and engagement with awardees and local programs to identify projects and expand impact throughout our network.
Hillsboro, Oregon © Alicia Gallo
Main Street America Program Officer encourages communities to advance equity for women to grow a more inclusive Movement.
Learn how this Louisiana town has used an accessibility-first approach to build a welcoming and inclusive community.
Downtown Ruston, Louisiana. Photo by Henry McCoy.
Tasha Sams, Manager of Education Programs, shares highlights of phase one of the Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (E3) in Rural Main Streets Program and the biggest takeaways from the workshop experiences.
In this video, learn more about the Williams’ family story, how the business is helping to revive downtown Helena, and the impact they’re having on a national level.
Learn how Main Street Now 2024 host city Birmingham, Alabama, is deepening their commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.
© Mayor Randall Woodfin
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derrick Braziel, owner of Pata Roja Taqueria and co-founder of MORTAR, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Learn how micromobility can increase access, equity, and inclusion in your Main Street with examples from local programs across the network.
Learn how Albany, Georgia, recognizes their civil rights legacy and supports the African American community today.
Celebrate this traditional Mexican holiday with Gardnerville, Nevada.
Gardnerville, NV © Main Street Gardnerville
Tasha Sams shared their experiences at this unique Appalachian cultural festival.
Learn how this community in Oklahoma celebrated Dia de la Independencia with a big festival.
Tulsa, OK © Kendall Whittier Main Street
Learn how Rio Grande City is building a welcoming and inclusive city for both Mexicans and Americans.
Rio Grande City, TX © Rio Grande City
Learn how the Little Santo Domingo neighborhood of Miami is working with the Truist Foundation to strengthen pathways to small business ownership.
© Allapattah CDC
Every year, H2BE holds their Juneteenth Mobility Stroll and Roll in Dearborn, MI, which celebrates Black Americans and improves local connections. Learn more about the event and why Juneteenth is important to this community.
Dearborn, MI © H2BE
Do you want to support the next generation of Main Street leadership! Start a youth board! Learn how Historic Downtown Clinton set theirs up and how your organization can benefit from one.
The Main Street Movement is a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community. We spoke to Main Street leaders about how they support the LGBTQ+ community during Pride and beyond.
Steps you can take to engage your local Jewish community and make your Main Street feel welcoming for individual Jewish locals or visitors.
On May 9, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2023 which included a cultural district located within a designated Main Street America community.
Miami, FL © NTHP
The annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Fiesta in the Mexicantown Main Street district offers a great example of collaborative partnerships that honor the community’s cultural heritage and support local businesses through events.
Meet Kavi, the first Indian American Girl of the Year doll and a (fictional) resident of 2023 Great American Main Street Award winner Metuchen, New Jersey!
Metuchen, NJ © Lauren Beischer Photography
Community Development Block Grants are powerful tools for Main Street programs. Learn more about how CDBG's can be applied to our work and how you can advocate for the program
Main Street America was awarded $5.9 million to support 20 communities in the Main Streets Community of Practice through the Department of Transportation's Thriving Communities Program over the next two years.
We spoke to Debbie Ho, Executive Director at Chinatown Main Street, to learn about the history of women in Boston Chinatown.
Boston, MA © Kyle Klein
Meet the newest recipients of this grant program to build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities
Learn the unique history of Folsom, New Mexico, and how they are working with New Mexico MainStreet today.
Learn how Main Street America partner Equiticity is fostering stronger community connections through their bike ride program.
Chicago, IL © Oscar Sanchez.
Learn how this community is honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and telling the stories of Black leaders in their community.
Dublin, GA © Visit Dublin GA
Learn about the City of Boston’s efforts to invest in economic equity.
Downtown Sheridan Association partners with the Crow Tribe to host the annual First People’s Pow Wow event during the WYO Rodeo Week.
We spoke to three women who were awarded Inclusive Backing grants to learn more about their passions, their businesses, and their advice for other women.
Wixom, MI © Carissa Serylo
Storytelling is a critical part of the placemaking work that we do in Main Street districts. But are we sharing every story equally?
Jonesborough, TN © Jay Huron
Main Street Franklin is leading the way in showing how women business owners can be a powerful force for change in their communities.
Anette Landeros, President and CEO of Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, shares the importance of supporting Hispanic business owners and communities.
#EquityRising, Old Algiers Main Street Corporation's new job training program, seeks to combat rising cost of living by helping residents train for careers that will allow them to stay in their neighborhood.
We spoke to three Black business owners who were awarded Backing Small Businesses grants from Main Street America and American Express to better understand their challenges, successes, and the kinds of support that have helped them the most.
Camden, AR © Kimberly Moore Davis
June is Pride Month. Learn how Erie, PA, Emporia, KS, Frederick, MD, Macon, GA, and Billings, MT, celebrated the LGBTQ+ community.
Erie, PA © Dave Tamulonis
Stockbridge Main Street has made significant strides in exploring and sharing the story of Martin Luther King, father of civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr.
Stockbridge, GA © Stockbridge Main Street
Juneteenth is the anniversary of the final emancipation of enslaved people in the US. Here are five examples of examples of community celebrations from Main Streets across the network.
Charles Town, WV © Elizabeth Ricketts
Learn how Downtown Florence has partnered with local Francis Marion University to provide opportunities for both students and local small businesses.
Learn about The Bottom, a historic African-American community in Thomasville, Georgia, and efforts to preserve it's history and share it's story.
Thomasville, GA © City of Thomasville
Learn how four Main Street communities celebrated Black History Month.
Oklahoma is home to the headquarters of nearly 40 federally recognized Native American tribes, and many of their offices, cultural sites, and museums are located close to or within Main Street districts.
El Reno, OK © El Reno Main Street
Kendall Whittier is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in an ever-diversifying Tulsa. Learn how they are making efforts to engage their large Hispanic community.
Tulsa, OK © Kendall Whittier Main Street
We spoke with two Black entrepreneurs in UrbanMain commercial districts: L. May Creations in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago and The Four Way in south Memphis, Tennessee.
Memphis, TN © Four Way
Heart of Biddeford shares the strategies they developed to support Black-owned businesses in their community.
Biddeford, ME © Heart of Biddeford
This May marked the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. We explored the impact and legacy of this tragic event.
Tulsa, OK © Dr. Tiffany Crutcher
Main Street communities across the nation are celebrating Juneteenth, the oldest national commemoration of the ending of slavery in America and the nation’s newest federal holiday!
Learn about the various programs and initiatives that Fremont is using to promote inclusive economic development.
Fremont, CA © Fremont Economic Development
From small business owners to public artists to local leaders, join us this month to amplify the impact of the LGBTQ+ community in your Main Street district.
San Luis Obispo, CA © Downtown SLO
Brooksville Main Street’s Women Leading the Way Campaign celebrated the legacy of the trailblazing women who made history in their community.
Brooksville, FL © Brooksville Main Street
For Black History Month, we want to recognize and celebrate the Black business owners and entrepreneurs who have overcome challenges and obstacles in launching and running their own businesses, thanks to resilience, creativity, and hard work.
In remembrance and in honor of Dr. Marin Luther King Jr., over 900 streets in the United States were named after him. Many are located predominantly in African American communities.
Milwaukee, WI © Historic King Drive BID
Downtown SLO has kept the magic of their holiday lights installation alive by evolving their winter wonderland into a dual celebration of Valentine’s Day and Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year.
San Luis Obispo, CA © Downtown SLO
Main Street programs around the Network have created engaging and COVID-safe ways to honor and celebrate the histories and lives of Black Americans in their commercial districts.
Supporting new and existing small businesses, and the entrepreneurs who run them, represents a vital aspect of the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhood business districts.
The Equitable Economic Development Fellowship is a two-year, one million-dollar effort funded by the Surdna Foundation and the Open Society Foundations to help equity, transparency, sustainability and community engagement become driving forces in local economic development efforts.
The Zuni Pueblo MainStreet is the nation's first (and so far, only) Native American Main Street community.
As part of the Edward Jones Placemaking on Main Challenge, Downtown Brattleboro created a pop-up, mobile mini-museum.
History and architecture play an active role in educating and immersing the next generation of preservationists in Le Mars. From museum visits, scavenger hunts, to "show and tell," involving the youth and senior communities is a priority for this Main Street.
Across the county, communities are embracing the arts as a catalyst for revitalization—of buildings, businesses, and local culture.
From walkability and transportation connectivity, to access to nature and availability of fresh food, place is inextricably linked to achieving positive health outcomes in rural America.
Appealing to mobility-challenged shoppers yields benefits beyond the store.
Main Street America is committed to helping build inclusive communities. Homelessness is an increasingly important issue facing Main Street communities big and small, urban and rural.
To understand the role that immigrant business owners play in Boston’s small business ecosystem, you need only to walk through any Boston Main Streets district.
New arrivals have made Shaw more diverse.
Preserving diverse populations, not just buildings.
