The Common Market in the News

Lankenau, Temple and More Hospitals Honored for Healthy Food Initiatives

Philadelphia Business Journal

Currently 10 Philadelphia hospitals are participating in the initiative — part of the health department’s “Get Healthy Philly program — that began two years ago. The program is funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the city health department with technical assistance, educational resources and marketing support from The Common Market, a distributor of local foods to the Mid-Atlantic region.

6 Local Hospitals Recognized for Healthy Food

Channel 6 abc News

Six local hospitals were honored at City Hall Wednesday for increasing access to fresh, healthy food for patients, employees and visitors. One honoree, Temple University Hospital, has transformed their cafeteria, offering more fruits and vegetables thanks to The Common Market, a non-profit which helps distribute local produce.

Growing local: Gehman Farms

honeygrow

If you've ever opted for a Boston Lettuce Cup stir-fry at honeygrow, you've tasted the passion, love + hard work that the Gehman family puts into their hydroponic farming operation in Telford, PA. Thanks to our friends at The Common Market, we were able to tour the Gehman greenhouses to see what makes their lettuce, pea shoots + basil stand out. Read on as Tim Gehman provides a brief history of their operation, with additional insight from Margaret Smith of The Common Market.

How Regional Food Hubs Shrink the Path from Farm to Fridge

Modern Farmer

Though affluent Philadelphians had long been enjoying local fare at restaurants and from farmers markets, Johnston says, “access to good food had not yet been democratized.” “We want to make local food in an institutional context the norm.”

GSK's $5M to Philly groups helping kids eat better

The Philadelphia Inquirer

“The $5 million IMPACT grant will amplify the great work already underway by these exemplary local nonprofits to help middle and high school students embrace healthy lifestyles and lead the way for a healthier Philadelphia.”

USDA Faces of the Farm Bill: Uncommon Solution Brings Fresh Foods to Philadelphia Schools and Hospitals

Last year, Common Market won funding through USDA’s Local Food Promotion Program2014 Farm Bill and administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service(AMS). With this grant, Common Market was able to add a fourth truck and purchase coolers that will streamline their delivery system. 

These improvements in operating efficiency will also help keep more food dollars in farmers’ pockets, further increasing the positive impact for both the rural and urban communities that work with Common Market.

Common Market: Linking sustainable farms with schools and hospitals in Philly

The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Part of our mission is to get money into the economy so family farms in the region stay in business. The way we're different than other food distributors is they don't have the same transparency and relationships with their suppliers. We've only scratched the surface and grown mostly by word of mouth. There's demand nationally for what we're doing."

Fixing the Food System from the Base of the Supply Chain

Huffington Post

A growing number of social enterprises supported by what we call integrated capital are successfully addressing problems related to food production, processing, aggregation and distribution in ways that contribute to social equity and agricultural sustainability.