Fresh Food, Real Impact: LocalShare at Merriam Avenue Elementary

When NOFA NJ reached out to offer a donation of local grains for our Free Produce Pop-Up Markets, we knew something special was brewing.

Each week, Foodshed Alliance’s LocalShare program hosts several pop-up markets, making farm-fresh, nutritious, local produce accessible to families with limited access.

Our October 9th Free Pop-Up Produce Market at Merriam Avenue Elementary School in Newton was a day that truly captured what LocalShare is all about. A remarkable network of community partners came together, including NOFA NJ, Marksboro Mills, River Valley Community Grains, Sussex County Community College, Newton Schools, Sparta Community Food Pantry, and our incredible volunteers.

Culinary students from Sussex County Community College prepared and served hot, fragrant barley soup made with the donated grains, alongside fresh produce gleaned earlier in the week from Ort Farms, Donaldson Farms, Circle Brook Farm, and Race Farm. For the students, it was a firsthand lesson in the power of food access and community connection.

From the moment the market opened, the energy was vibrant. We met Jessica, shopping for her family of eight. She first discovered LocalShare at the Sussex Fairgrounds and now never misses a market. She has become one of our best ambassadors, spreading the word to friends and neighbors. Moments like this are the heartbeat of our mission.

Students from the after-school program eagerly shopped for their families. Their curiosity, laughter, and sense of ownership were contagious. Watching the next generation choose vegetables with excitement reminds us: this is how food systems change—one joyful encounter at a time.

We also spoke with families managing specific dietary needs, grateful for the organic and thoughtfully sourced produce. Their conversations about GMOs, pesticides, and healthy choices echoed what we hear often: access to good food is access to dignity.

This market served:

• 35–40 Merriam Avenue after-school students shopping for their families
• 110 families —  464 individuals in total

LocalShare events like these serve as a reminder that every gleaning, every market, and every partnership contributes to building stronger partnerships and empowering communities, creating real impact.

To every farm, partner, volunteer, and family who made this possible—thank you for showing what a resilient, caring food system looks like in action.