Seniors First Mobile Farmers Market
Seniors First Program
In March 2020 the world as we knew it would forever be changed. For the first time we as a nation saw first hand what it was like to go to the store and see there was no meat, no beans or no bread. The American Food System as we knew it snapped! Ground Producers and Growers Mobile Farmers Market for the first time in its creation since 2014 would now shift to providing food year-round for the community in 2020. As the nation and our community pushed through uncertainty and a pandemic we discovered that we are stronger than we thought and we can do more than we thought.
Common Ground Producers and Growers Mobile Farmers Market implemented a mental health mission along with our food mission. Keisha McClish Couts, after receiving her Master's Degree from Friends University, began to partner with CEO Donna Pearson McClish to do a weekly wellness phone call and check on our community of senior citizens. We understood not only was there a need for food but also a need for connection and communication. The phone calls allowed for those who were the most vulnerable to stay connected to people, share their thoughts, feelings and concerns. Sometimes hope shows up not only as food but also as a simple phone call to let someone know “I’m here if you need me and it’s okay we are going to make it together."
