Public Service Fellowships

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start summer select a project Help Belmont Farmers' Market

Help Belmont Farmers' Market develop into a permanent seasonal market (part-time)

www.belmontfarmersmarket.org/

General Background

The Belmont Farmers’ Market Committee (BFMC) is a group of Belmont residents who formed a committee in 2006 to bring a vibrant farmers’ market to Belmont Center. The Belmont Farmers’ Market (BFM) provides a source of fresh, wholesome, and locally grown food, disperses educational and nutritional information to people of all ages, involves students and residents in a cooperative, all-volunteer town project, and provides a location for social interaction for the community in Belmont Center. The BFM runs for 21 weeks in the summer on Thursdays from 2 pm to 6:30 pm in the parking lot behind the Belmont Center stores.

We are fortunate to have both a current MIT student and an alumna of MIT working actively in our organization.

The market is close to MIT and accessible by public transportation.

The Challenge

The farmers market is seeking a part-time Fellow to study the way the existing Belmont Farmers’ Market operates, and consult on ways that the BFM could transform into a viable, sustainable, permanent seasonal market, preferably at the existing central location. Emphasis would be on streamlining current processes (including sign placement, marketing, education, links with charitable organizations such as the Food Pantry and local houses of worship) working with town government (the various departments involved-Police, Health, Highway, and Selectmen’s office), and recruiting volunteers for both on-going work and market days).

Our farmers’ market is moving into its fourth season, fortunate to have most vendors wanting to return every year. At the same time, growth in the numbers of area markets brings a more competitive market environment. During the previous three seasons the market has fostered and spawned a variety of tangential activities and educational efforts that have had maybe even more significant in impact on the local community than the commerce aspect of the farmers’ market. This project provides an exciting challenge for a Fellow to help the market grow, building upon its solid foundation.

Time required: 5-8 hours per week (estimated), during the months of June, July and August, including time to interview current organizers and vendor participants, time to research other markets, and time to create processes for the future. This position would be best spread out over the summer so that the intern could have the benefit of observing the market as the season progresses.

Qualifications and Assets

Fellow should believe in and exemplify the organization’s mission to foster healthy individuals living in healthy communities through: awareness of good nutrition and the benefits of eating local, carefully grown or produced foods; maintenance of--to best of physical capabilities--an active, participatory lifestyle; and promoting a sustainable environment.

Fellow should have sound MS Office computer skills and ability to work with a diverse group of market sellers and shoppers and volunteers.

Fellow should have outstanding organizational skills, including ability to “multi-task” various details.

Contact

MIT students interested in developing Fellowships around these ideas should contact Heli Tomford, Belmont Farmers’ Market coordinator, 617 484-0170 belmontfarmersmarket@gmail.com or Jocelyn Milton, 617 484-1228 jocemilton@alum.mit.edu