Local vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables and baked goods will line Cecil B. Moore between Broad St. and Park Walk this summer during a weekly farmers’ market supported by Temple and the Philadelphia Food Trust.

Operating from 2-6 p.m. every Thursday starting in mid-June, the market is open to the campus community and the community-at-large and is easily accessible by the Broad Street SEPTA station.

In an area that lacks supermarkets and access to nutritious and local food, the new farmers’ market location will offer an outlet for the community to shop, while providing area farmers and food producers an opportunity to sell their wares, said Ken Lawrence, senior vice president for government, community and public affairs.

“Having access to nutritional foods is important to any community,” Lawrence said. “We hope that the farmers’ market fills a void in North Philadelphia by offering the community a healthy shopping alternative.”

Following the success of a farmers’ market organized by the Students for Environmental Action in 2008, members of the Food Trust approached Temple to establish the weekly market, which will run through mid-November.

The Food Trust’s farmers’ markets serve more than 125,000 customers in the Philadelphia region and have become a cornerstone in the Philadelphia region’s growing network of farmers.

In addition to being an accessible shopping alternative for locally grown food, the markets are an important revenue source for the region’s farmers, who use the markets as a place to grow their businesses and increase the economic viability of their farms, said Food Trust staffer and Temple alumnus Patrick Gorman.

“The success of farmers’ markets ensures the sustainability of local farms and enables The Food Trust to continue its mission of ensuring that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food,” Gorman said.

Like the market planned for Temple, many of the farmers’ markets are located in neighborhoods underserved by supermarkets, grocery stores and other fresh food outlets. Each accepts food stamps (EBT/Access cards), senior citizens’ and WIC mothers’ Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) vouchers.

The Food Trust has been operating farmers’ markets since 1992, partnering with community organizations in diverse neighborhoods throughout the Southeastern Pennsylvania area, including Haddington and Northern Liberties.

The trust works to improve the health of children and adults, promote good nutrition, increase access to nutritious foods, and advocate for better public policy.

In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, the markets offer nutrition-related educational activities and events. The Food Trust’s staff also provides nutritional information as well as shopping tips and education about the different types of fresh fruits and vegetables found at the market.