Fresh produce from local farms is not easily accessible to all members of the community, especially for lower-income individuals and families. Additionally, many members in the community are in need of not only increased access to produce, but information about healthy eating, nutrition and preventative care. While the library may not be able to provide all of these things on its own, working with partners opens up collaborative opportunities to support community health.

By partnering with the Tri-County Health Department, the City of Thornton and the American Heart Association, Anythink is able to provide weekly farmers’ markets at two of its library locations, occurring July through October. These markets feature food from local farms, as well as cooking demos, nutrition information and preventative health screenings provided by community partners. To increase healthy food accessibility, both WIC and SNAP are accepted.

Success has been judged by both attendance and positive feedback from partners and community members. This project began at just one library branch in 2018. Based on its success, all partner organizations committed to expanding these services at an additional library branch with alternative times.