Lynn farmers’ market to open Thursday

LYNN – The city’s first farmers’ market of the season opens Thursday in Central Square at the corner of Union and Exchange streets.Fresh produce, breads and an array of organic edibles will be on sale from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The market is organized by The Food Project, which is growing vegetables in a vacant lot on Munroe Street just around the corner. The Food Project also manages gardens behind the Ingalls Elementary School on Collins Street Terrace and alongside the Ford K-8 school on Hollingsworth Street.The Lynn market is one of 26 statewide and will be accepting SNAP as payment, formerly known as food stamps.”Low-income families face a higher risk of obesity and related health problems, such as diabetes and hypertension, than those who have adequate food,” said Ellen Parker, executive director of Project Bread. “When they try to stretch their food budget, they often rely on inexpensive, high-fat, high-sodium foods to keep them full.”Project Bread, the state’s leading anti-hunger program, encourages families receiving SNAP benefits to purchase fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables at the neighborhood markets. According to Parker, one in 10 people in Massachusetts is currently receiving SNAP benefits.In prior years, Lynn families reliant on SNAP were unable to shop a farmers’ markets because there were no EBT machines to process the sales. “Removing this barrier to health food for low-income families just makes sense,” said Parker, noting that the markets now accept SNAP cards.Parker said Project Bread has worked with farmers’ markets across the state and was able to obtain $10,000 in grants to purchase wireless EBT machines capable of processing SNAP transactions and offering incentive two-for-one vouchers to encourage families to try out the markets. “It’s a win-win for the families and the farmers,” she said. “These initiatives build upon the success we’ve had providing fresh fruits and vegetables to children at schools and summer meal programs.”The Lynn farmers’ market will be open every Thursday through October. Fruits and vegetables sold at the market are also grown at area farms.Oasis Development Enterprises provided the vacant land for the Munroe Street garden.