Indy residents who live or work in West Indianapolis now have a wider selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as organic meat and dairy products—thanks to the new “Market on Morris” that opened on June 12.

“I think it’s a great thing,” said one shopper as she perused a stand containing fresh-picked strawberries and tomatoes, “Before, I would have to drive for awhile if I wanted quality produce or any legitimate organic options. Now I can just come to the market and pick up anything I need.” Organizers of the market hope the event will also nurture a spirit of community in the West Indianapolis neighborhood, as neighbors come together for the weekly event. “The market is a great place not only to buy all of these wonderful foods, but it also is a place for people from the neighborhood to come out and meet each other,” said Emily Faidley, coordinator for the project.

The market was first conceived by Lilly Technology Center employee Cory Zurcker, who noticed the lack of nutritious breakfast food one morning as he stood in line at the local convenience store. After pitching the project idea to his boss at Lilly, Zucker eventually found his way to Beth Gibson, GINI coordinator for West Indianapolis. Gibson helped Zucker secure funding for the project through a GINI Early Action Grant.
The Market on Morris steering committee, led by Faidley, then began to contact vendors and pull together the necessary permits to ensure the market could move forward. Committee members consulted with neighborhood residents to better understand what kinds of products they wanted see in the market. Area churches were also asked to participate, and St. John the Forerunner Orthodox Church even agreed to offer a traditional Greek baked goods booth.

“The Market on Morris Street idea was born from grassroots efforts, collaboration between neighbors and the corporate world, and the desire to build community. We might not have ‘seen’ the opportunity if we hadn’t been tuned in to listening to what the neighborhood wanted,” Gibson explained.

The Market on Morris is a terrific example of how Indianapolis neighbors are collaborating to improve the quality of life in urban neighborhoods, in this case by increasing the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables and locally-raised meat and dairy products. Other GINI neighborhoods have also developed projects to expand local offerings of nutritious food. Binford Redevelopment and Growth (BRAG) operates a farmer’s marker on northeast side from May to October, and the Near Eastside plans to open a food co-op soon.

The Market on Morris takes place every Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. on Morris Street across from the Mary Riggs Neighborhood Center. For more information visit: http://www.maryrigg.org/w/120.aspx.