In the Centreville-Chicopee neighbourhood, the House of Friendship and a group of neighbours worked together to understand the community’s needs when it came to affordable and healthy food. The result was the Centreville-Chicopee Community Market, a sustainable community market providing fresh, affordable produce and free spaces for neighbours to sell their own crafts and baked goods. 

Maggie Cahill, a Community Development Worker at House of Friendship, worked on the project and said neighbour involvement was critical to creating a market that met their needs. House of Friendship spoke with more than 150 families who used the organization's Food Distribution Program. 

“We received a good amount of interest from families who live in the neighbourhood who said that they would be willing to shop and help run the market,” Maggie said. 

The neighbours were invited to join a committee and applied for a LoveMyHood Matching Grant. The funding provided through the grant was used to help subsidize some of the market’s offerings to help with affordability. The market offered a selection of food items at or below cost, with third-party food vendors offering additional selections. 

“The food table provided by the market team filled the gaps of what we couldn't get from a local food provider. We were able to make it a full shopping experience so neighbours could get most of the produce they were looking for,” said Maggie. 

The Centreville-Chicopee Community Markets were able to stretch their LoveMyHood funding to cover a full second summer of food markets. The resident group ran thirteen Saturday markets with the priority of bringing affordable produce to the neighbourhood. Multiple craft vendors also signed up for one or more markets to sell their handmade goods. 

 “There were quite a few neighbours who visited most Saturdays to fill their produce needs for the week. Larger families were noting how important the market was in helping them buy the large quantities of food they needed, but without forcing them to exceed their grocery budget as they would have had to if they shopped at the grocery store.” said Maggie 

Centreville-Chicopee Community Market stands as an example to what can be achieved when a neighbourhood comes together, transforming local needs into sustainable solutions that foster connection, support, and access to healthy food. 

 Neighbourhood markets can offer produce from everyday staples to fruits and vegetables you might not have had before. What produce would you offer in a neighbourhood market?