From 2021 to 2024, 40 youth Market Leaders led a total of 25 Market days, selling and donating more than 2500 lbs of produce to 340+ customers and five local food initiatives in Waterloo Region. 

In 2024 alone, 10 youth Market Leaders contributed 135 hours to carrying out 11 Market days in Kitchener, selling 625lbs of produce and donating an additional 300lbs. We continued working alongside SWRIL’s Nurture project to enable youth food production at 15 school garden sites, while continuing partnerships with several local farms and community organizations.

Now, for 2025, we are continuing to grow as we introduce a third Market location, this time in Cambridge! We are also working singehandedly this season to continue youth-led food production efforts at six school garden spaces in Kitchener and Cambridge, and reimagining community engagement and food systems learning through field trips and workshops all season long!

From June to August 2024, our youth Market Leaders met biweekly on Mondays for collaborative planning sessions alongside support staff. These get togethers are used as a space for project development, utilizing a wide range of skills in logistics, finance, marketing, coordination, and leadership. During and outside of these sessions, they do all of the things that need to be done in order for the Market to run:  

Farm partner outreach and ordering

Garden produce tracking

Market table materials ordering

Local grocery store pricing research

Social media post design

. . then, of course, come the Market days themselves!