GrowNYC Youthmarket opens in Far Rockaway 
 BY BILL PARRY 
 The Rockaway Youth Task  
 Force joined with Councilman  
 Donovan  Richards  and  
 representatives  of  the  city’s  
 Economic  Development  
 Corporation  to  launch  
 GrowNYC’s  Youthmarket  
 Farmstand in Far Rockaway. 
 As  a  key  milestone  of  
 the  city’s  Downtown  Far  
 Rockaway  rezoning,  the  
 farmstand  will  empower  
 young  people  in  the  
 community  to  develop  their  
 entrepreneurial skills. 
 “GrowNYC’s  first  
 Youthmarket  in  Downtown  
 Far  Rockaway  not  only  
 delivers  on  one  of  the  
 rezoning’s  commitments,  
 but  it  also  empowers  our  
 youth to be the leaders in our  
 community  while  providing  
 access to fresh, locally grown  
 produce,” Richards said. 
 Through  GrowNYC’s  
 Youthmarket  Farmstand  
 program,  young  people  sell  
 fresh  fruits  and  vegetables  
 from  local  farms  while  
 learning  about  health,  
 nutrition,  the  environment  
 and  regional  agriculture.  
                                                                                                Photos courtesy of the Downtown Far Rockaway Youthmarket 
 In  addition  to  teaching  
 participants about promotion,  
 merchandising  and  
 customer  service  skills,  the  
 Youthmarket  will  increase  
 the  availability  of  fresh  
 produce in Far Rockaway. 
 “The  expansion  of  the  
 Youthmarket  shows  that  
 we  are  making  good  on  our  
 promise  to  Downtown  Far  
 Rockaway,”  said  James  
 Patchett,  NYCEDC  president  
 and  CEO.  “This  unique  
 program  will  teach  young  
 people  how  to  run  a  small  
 business while  bringing  new  
 vibrancy  and  opportunity  to  
 the neighborhood.” 
 The  Youthmarket  
 program’s  expansion  to  the  
 neighborhood  is  part  of  the  
 Downtown  Far  Rockaway  
 rezoning  and  Roadmap  
 for  Action,  a  $288  million  
 neighborhood  revitalization  
 initiative.  The  Roadmap  
 for  Action  was  developed  in  
 response to recommendations  
 from  the  Downtown  Far  
 Rockaway  Working  Group  
 and  includes  efforts  from  a  
 range  of  city  agencies,  and  
 investment in infrastructure,  
 parks,  community  facilities,  
 housing resources and smallbusiness  
 support. 
 The  Youthmarket  is  
 located  at  1002-1004  Beach  
 320th St. and it operates every  
 Saturday until Nov. 23 from 9  
 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
     
 Reach  reporter  Bill  
 Parry  by  email  at  bparry@ 
 schnepsmedia.com or by phone  
 at (718) 260–4538. 
 Relieve Pain. 
 Regain Your Life. 
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 TIMESLEDGER, J TIMESLEDGER.COM ULY 26-AUG. 1, 2019 5  
 
				
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