Groundwork Lawrence is committed to increasing access to high-quality fresh produce in Lawrence, enabling residents to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families. Groundwork’s community food programs combine fresh food access with education in an effort to reduce the city’s disproportionately high rates of diet-related disease.

Lawrence Downtown Farmers Market

The Lawrence Farmers Market/ Mercado de Granjeros is held every Wednesday from July through October on Appleton Way in Lawrence’s downtown Essex Street business district. The market features a wide variety of local produce, as well as baked goods, honey and fresh eggs. Since assuming management of the market in 2006, Groundwork Lawrence has sought to increase access to the market for all shoppers by accepting EBT (food stamps) and credit and debit cards and working to increase the redemption of WIC and Senior Farmers Market coupons. Today, the market provides a lively gathering place for the whole community with free attractions such as live entertainment, family activities and cultural and educational exhibits.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program

Groundwork Lawrence operates a CSA Program / el Programa CSA at 60 Island Street in partnership with Farmer Dave’s, a progressive, sustainable farm in nearby Dracut, MA. The Groundwork Lawrence CSA provides a convenient solution for people who love the taste of farm-fresh produce, but lack the time to shop, or wherewithal to grow it. CSA shares come fresh-picked, packed and ready to go for as little as $17.50 per week.

Share-a-Share CSA Subsidy and Fresh Food Donations

The Groundwork Lawrence CSA offers a Share-a-Share program, funded by donations and grants, to subsidize the price of CSA shares for Lawrence residents in need. In addition, Groundwork Lawrence donates all unclaimed CSA shares to the Neighbors in Need network of eight local food pantries.

Community Gardens

Groundwork Lawrence operates a growing network of community gardens, providing another source of fresh food to Lawrence residents, while transforming formerly vacant and often contaminated open space into attractive and productive community gathering spots. Gardens located at Union/Mechanic Streets, Scarito Park and Manchester Street Park are cultivated and maintained by local resident gardeners.

Schoolyard Gardens

Groundwork Lawrence aims to cultivate healthy habits at a young age with schoolyard garden programming that promotes healthy eating, fitness and environmental awareness. In collaboration with administrators and faculty at local elementary and middle schools, Groundwork is creating a “seed-to-harvest” schoolyard garden curriculum that takes place during school days within the growing season. It currently operates schoolyard garden programs at the Leonard School and once the Cronin gardens are built this year, with the Tarbox School.

Summer Stewards

Summer Stewards is a summer gardening program for elementary and middle school students. Alongside Groundwork Lawrence staff, participating students plant, weed, water and harvest vegetables at the schoolyard garden sites for a full “seed to harvest” experience. To make the connection between garden and table, members take part in preparing healthy snacks and meals from their own harvest, part of a long-term goal to bring schoolyard garden produce into the school cafeteria.

Read about GWL's Community Food Programs in the Summer 2008 edition of Edible Boston