Clinic Joins with North Union Farmers Market to Offer Fresh, Healthy, Locally Grown Foods Every Wednesday from July 30 Through October 22
7/22/2008
Cleveland Clinic will soon host the city’s newest farmers market, thanks to a new relationship between the Clinic and North Union Farmers Market. The market, which will open on July 30 on East 100th Street on the lawn in front of the Crile (A) building on the Clinic’s main campus, will make fresh, locally-grown produce, meats, dairy, eggs, bread and other food items available to surrounding community members and Clinic employees every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The goal is to offer healthy, local food options in a convenient, environmentally-friendly way at a fun, community event.
Between 20 and 30 different Northeast Ohio farms will bring their goods to the market every week, and visitors can look forward to cooking demonstrations, food samples and recipes for items in the peak of their season. In addition, there will be live music from local artists, and the Clinic will provide health information and free health screenings for all visitors.
“We want to encourage our neighbors and our employees to eat healthy meals, so the key is to break down the barriers that make healthy eating difficult,” said Michael F. Roizen, M.D., Chief Wellness Officer at Cleveland Clinic. “By partnering with North Union Farmers Market, we’re able to make healthy options readily accessible and affordable, while at the same time supporting local agriculture and reducing the environmental impact of food transport. It’s truly a win-win situation for everyone involved.”
Cleveland Foodbank will also benefit from the new market thanks to a commitment by Cleveland Clinic to support the organization’s efforts to fight hunger in the community. For every market visitor that fills out a health-related questionnaire, the Clinic will give $1 to Cleveland Foodbank, for a total contribution of up to $5,000, and they will receive a reusable grocery bag. The donation will support the Foodbank’s efforts to bring local, fresh produce to neighborhood hunger centers, providing relief to children and families.
To ensure that the market is a success for participating farmers, AVI Food Systems, a Cleveland Clinic food service provider, has committed to purchase any perishable items that remain unsold at the end of the market. AVI will then incorporate the food into its menu in the coming days for Clinic patients, visitors and employees.
“Our markets sell only food and products grown and produced by local farmers and artisans, so supporting the market directly supports local agriculture and small businesses,” said Donita Anderson, Executive Director of North Union Farmers Market. “We’re very excited that AVI Food Systems has stepped in to make it a guaranteed buy for our farmers as well. What a great benefit to them and Clinic visitors who will be able to enjoy fresh, healthy, delicious dishes in their cafeterias.”
Multiple areas of the Clinic worked together with North Union Farmers Market to bring this project to life with maximum benefit to employees, the community and the environment, including the Wellness Institute, the Office for a Healthy Environment and Community Outreach.
Cleveland Clinic is known for the innovative wellness programs it offers to its employees, including free Weight Watcher programs for health plan members, eliminating trans-fat from its menus and free yoga classes. Cleveland Clinic Farmers Market is a way to bring wellness to life in an area of the city where fresh produce and healthy food options can be difficult to find.
Cleveland Clinic’s award-winning sustainability program is active in promoting local food. The Office for a Healthy Environment’s three-part program addresses local production through Urban Farm projects, food access and fair trade through the Farmers Market, and local procurement for the food prepared and served in Clinic food services through direct relationships with local farms and with North Union Farmers Market. These efforts reduce the contribution of food to climate change through transportation, support the local economy by ensuring that more of each dollar goes to the farmer, promote small-scale, biodiverse farming practices, and protect the value of farmland in the region.
Cleveland Clinic strives to find new ways to benefit its surrounding communities through patient care, research, education and community outreach programs. Cleveland Clinic Community Outreach is dedicated to cultivating relationships with community organizations through health initiatives and community building to make the region a healthier, more vibrant place to live.
The Cleveland Clinic Farmer’s Market will be located on the lawn in front of the Crile (A) building off of East 100th Street every Wednesday from July 30 through October 22. Employees, community members, patients and visitors are all welcome to attend. For more information, call 216-751-7656 or visit www.northunionfarmersmarket.org.
About North Union Farmers Market
The North Union Farmers Market is a non-profit community organization that operates and promotes farmers markets in the greater Cleveland area. Its markets sell only food and products grown and produced by local farmers and artisans. The organization’s goal is to bring successful farmers markets to communities in Northeast Ohio in order to educate the public about the benefits of eating locally grown food.
About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a not-for-profit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. U.S.News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey.
Approximately 1,800 full-time salaried physicians and researchers at Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Florida represent more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. In 2007, there were 3.5 million outpatient visits to Cleveland Clinic and 50,455 hospital admissions. Patients came for treatment from every state and from more than 80 countries. Cleveland Clinic’s website address is www.clevelandclinic.org.
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