June 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 48

FOOD ACCESS
munity wellness and offering equitable
access to healthy activities and
holistic services for all members of
the Peoria community. "
In addition to a strong park and
recreation
two medical centers, a major regional
hospital system, four nursing
health
presence,
Peoria also
has many well-established healthrelated
organizations,
including
schools and a community
clinic. Other communitycentered
nonprofits also work together
with the park, recreation
and health institutions to meet
various community needs, such as
housing and providing support for
children, families and LGBTQIA+
community members.
Using the Community Wellness
Hub model, Peoria Grown sees its
healthy food market, Market 309,
as a way to bring these community
partners together and amplify
the impact of the solutions they
already are providing. A strength
that Peoria Grown brings to the
table is the solid relationships staff
have built with community members,
local healthcare organizations,
food suppliers, Peoria Public
Schools and other local partners
that contribute their services. " We
have cultivated trust and rapport
with residents of the Peoria Southside
community, " says Eliathamby.
" Customers feel a sense of ownership
to Market 309 and recognize
that their feedback and input is valued
as stakeholders. "
Partnering for Success
Parks and recreation is central to
communities - both in physical location
and in staff's connections to
community members - and provides
welcoming spaces designed
for community gatherings. That's
why Peoria Grown is partnering
with Peoria Park District to bring
Market 309 to Trewyn Pavilion,
a park and recreation site located
in one of Illinois' most underresourced
communities.
" Partnering with the park district
allowed us to use community
resources that were already
well-established and known by
the communities and customers
we serve, " says Eliathamby. " The
Peoria
Park
District
facilities
are in the neighborhoods of the
customers we serve, making our
programs more accessible. Our
customers have shared stories of
activities they have participated
in at these facilities over the past
decade. It's the strong community
ties that helped build relationships
with our customers. "
Previously, the market was
hosted at the Logan Recreational
Center - another park and recreation
site - but community needs
quickly outgrew the space. Challenges
included lack of storage for
fresh produce, lack of space for a
teaching kitchen and market expansion,
and the need for an appropriately
sized and located hub
that would help to raise the stabilPeoria
Grown sees its healthy food market as a way to bring community
partners together and amplify the impact of the solutions they provide.
Thanks in part to funding from the NRPA grant, the partners have been
able to establish a 3,000-square-foot market at Trewyn Park.
48 Parks & Recreation | JUNE 2 0 2 3
| PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PEORIA GROWN
June 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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