George Washington students, faculty and staff can now use their GWorld cards to purchase fresh and local food at the Foggy Bottom FRESHFARM Market.
The market opens Wednesday on the Eye Street Mall from 3 to 7 p.m. and will run through Nov. 21.
“By enabling students to use their GWorld card at the Foggy Bottom farmers market we are expanding GW students’ access to a valued community member,” said Steve Nichols, deputy director of GW’s GWorld Card Program. “We welcome the market into the GWorld family of vendors and are happy to provide another fresh, nutritious food option to the GW community.”
Jesse Schaffer, a sophomore in the Elliott School of International Affairs, buys almost all of his food using his GWorld card so he wasn’t able to get many items from the farmers market last year. But now with the new GWorld payment option, Mr. Schaffer said he plans to do most of his shopping at the farmers market.
“This will be a tremendous opportunity for GW students to gain access to real, healthy, local and sustainable food,” said Mr. Schaffer. “It also gives students a chance to have a direct impact on their food system by providing an alternative to the industrial and agribusiness food system.”
Ann Yonkers, FRESHFARM Market co-executive director and co-founder, said she’s excited about having more students be able to use the market.
“We know this will make the market more accessible to GW students who love our local food and farmers,” she said. “We invite everyone to visit the market and be part of the delicious revolution in the Chesapeake Bay region.”
The market is featuring several new farmers and producers this year. Soupergirl makes vegetarian soups from ingredients grown on local, sustainable farms. Liberty Delight Farm from Reisterstown, Md., will be selling pork, chicken and beef as well as prepared meals. And Barajas Produce, a 25-acre farm in Northern Virginia, will offer a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
“We are thrilled that the farmers market will accept GWorld providing our community with access to great, local food providers,” said Sophie Waskow, sustainability project facilitator in GW’s Office of Sustainability. “GW’s forthcoming ecosystem plan will set a vision for sustainable food production and procurement on campus, and this new vendor relationship is a great start to realizing that vision.”