This summer, through the efforts and contributions of the community and the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Delridge Produce Cooperative will present a 16-part series of moving informational produce-collection-and-distribution centers.

The project was made possible, in part, due to a $15,000 Neighborhood Matching Fund grant.

At each of four locations along Delridge Way Southwest, a regular day will be chosen to host the project for all four consecutive weeks. For example, the Delridge P-Patch might host the 'Market' every Monday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., from August 17 to Sept. 7.

The 'Market' will serve as a collection point for donations of produce from backyard growers, P-Patchers, Washington farmers, and local contributing businesses. Produce will be given away as it is collected to demonstrate how a community can work together to ensure food resiliency, food security, food diversity and food prosperity.

Informational pamphlets will be distributed in all the major languages spoken in Delridge Neighborhood. These will contain information on local food resources, gardening, health, fitness, and parks. Thegoal for this part of the project is to encourage interaction between organizations and individuals which have difficulty communicating due to cultural differences, and increase the general awareness of the health-related resources available in the neighborhood.

Attendees of the 'Market' need not speak English to interact with the volunteers; instead, they will be addressed in thier own language from a list of phrases that will be made available to the volunteers.

Attendees who choose to participate in the 'Market' survey will receive a free tote bag with prize-winning art from the DPC Tote Bag Art Contest on it. The 'Market' survey will collect information about what kind of produce people want, what they want to pay for it, how much of it they want, and where they want to buy it.

The surveys will be administered in all major locally-spoken languages, and the information collected will be made available to the public through the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association and the Delridge Produce Cooperative Web site.

The project will be partly staffed by youth from the King County Superior Court Community Program, Vocational Educational Service Training. The youth will learn skills that will help them get better jobs, provide them with positive references, and build thier community connections.

Support for this project and for the Delridge Produce Cooperative has been overwhelming from many pockets of the Delridge Neighborhood. Project organizeres hope to contribute to the well-being of the neighborhood and increase support for efforts to improve the food system.

To contribute, please email galenawhite@gmail.com.