WILMINGTON — Food supplier Farmin’ Brands and the non-profit agency NourishNC are teaming up Sunday to provide fun, education and fresh produce to the area’s children.
The first-ever “Farmers MarKID!” is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 2, at Portia Hines Park, from 1 to 3 p.m.
“Farmers MarKID” will let children shop in a farmers’ market-type atmosphere for free produce for their families while learning healthy food practices. Far from your typical farmers’ market, though, the interactive event will feature plenty of child-friendly activities to keep them busy. They include: an obstacle course, a fire truck, a pirate-themed bounce house, games and activities for children and giveaways.
NourishNC Executive Director Steve McCrossan said his organization is “thrilled to bring more healthy food, education and fun to the Portia Hines Park community.”
“NourishNC wants to build strong and healthy kids and this is just one of the many innovative ways that we do this,” McCrossan said.
NourishNC provides supplemental food assistance to chronically hungry children in New Hanover County. Its mission, according to a press release, is to provide healthy food to hungry children, thus “empowering them to succeed in the classroom and in their community.”
McCrossan said the event “should be a fun and educational day for all.”
“We want people to learn more about the great things that NourishNC does for our community as well as have an enjoyable Sunday afternoon,” he said.
Other programs the group sponsors include community outreach, the Backpack and Nourish Box program and emergency food pantries.
Farmin’ Brands is providing a variety of fresh, local produce items for the event. They include squash, zucchini, eggplant, watermelons, okra and pumpkins. Many of these items were grown and produced on Farmin’ Brands farm operation, Prospect Farms, located in Supply, North Carolina, the release states.
Farmin’ Brands supplies restaurants, cafés and country clubs in southeastern North Carolina through its wholesale division – Farmin’ Exchange. Farmin’ Brands also is preparing to open a new urban food market in downtown Wilmington, Farmin’ On Front.
“This is a great opportunity for us at Farmin’ to use our fresh produce as a tool to bring the community together and help serve a bigger purpose,” Randall Heath, senior director of brand experience, said. “Steve and the team at NourishNC have worked hard to bring this event to life. We are excited to play our part and help promote the many wonderful things that they do as an organization in providing healthy food to hungry children in our area.”
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