FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PR- 216-06 June 25, 2006 MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND GREENMARKET ANNOUNCE OPENING OF FARMER'S MARKET AT NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY JOHN HAYNES HOLMES TOWERS Mayor’s Community Assistance Unit and Greenmarket to Open 10 New Markets This Summer Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor's Community Assistance Unit (CAU) Commissioner Patrick Brennan, Councilmember Daniel R. Garodnick and Council on the Environment (CENYC) Executive Director Marcel Van Ooyen today announced that ten new Greenmarkets, also called farmer's markets, will begin opening over the next few weeks in an effort to bring affordable and fresh produce to underserved communities. The announcement took place at the John Haynes Holmes Towers on the Upper East Side at a kick-off event for the new markets that featured a health fair complete with food stands and informational tables offering educational materials on nutrition, health, diet and exercise, and other health-related topics. New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chairman Tino Hernandez, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and representatives from community partners including Metropolitan Hospital, the American Heart Association and Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center attended the event. "This new Greenmarket is a great thing for the tenants of the NYCHA facility and people all over the neighborhood." said Mayor Bloomberg. "Farmer's Markets are one way we can address the widespread epidemics of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure by making healthy foods like fruits and vegetables readily available within our communities." "This cooperative relationship among City agencies, healthcare professionals and community based organizations like Greenmarkets is a great success story that will improve the lives of New Yorkers in all five boroughs," said Commissioner Brennan of the Mayor's Community Assistance Unit, which issues all the permits for Greenmarkets in the City. "This is not just a healthy greenmarket, it's an economic development greenmarket," said Councilmember Garodnick. "It is going to bring new life to this neighborhood, and will be a model for bringing affordable produce to public housing communities in the rest of the City." "We are very excited to be opening ten new Greenmarkets this summer, an expansion which brings us to forty-five markets citywide," said CENYC's Marcel Von Ooyen. "We are especially thrilled to be bringing healthful eating to residents of the Stanley Isaacs and Holmes Towers complex. With today's announcement, the 'silk stocking' district will now become more of a 'denim overalls' district." "We know that diabetes is on the rise and obesity continues to be a problem, especially among our young people," said NYCHA Chairman Hernandez. "This market will make available tasty, affordable and healthy food choices to Isaacs/Holmes residents and to the community at large on a regular basis, right outside their door." The ten new markets will open over the next few weeks, and operate through Thanksgiving weekend. NYCHA residents and the surrounding community will be able to use senior coupons, WIC coupons and EBT cards at many of the markets for the purchase of fruits and vegetables. Greenmarket organizers also hope the public will become participants in the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene's Health Bucks Program, which distributes vouchers redeemable at farmer's markets throughout the City for the purchase of fruits and vegetables. Currently, 175 farms from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania sell their produce directly to consumers at Greenmarkets. Greenmarket farmers also donate more than 300,000 pounds of food to City Harvest and other hunger relief organizations each year. The new Greenmarket locations, hours of operation and opening dates are:
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