New farmers market in Kingsbridge aims to combat food insecurity in the Bronx

Our mission is to nourish and uplift our community through a wide selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, hosting wellness classes and showcasing valuable resources for all residents.”

Johanna Edmondson

A report this year by the New York Department of Health revealed 39 percent of Bronx residents experience some form of food insecurity. State Democratic committee member and Female Fight Club founder Johanna Edmondson is determined to bring this number down to zero in greater Riverdale.

Starting as a pilot program to test and refine various aspects of the concept, Edmondson will be co-launching a new farmers market in Kingsbridge on Sept. 7 in partnership with several local organizations.

Especially following the fire that devastated many businesses in Kingsbridge earlier this year, Edmondson said she believes the new market will be a great opportunity to unite residents around something future-oriented. It will begin with a small number of local vendors and expand into something that can sustain the neighbourhood well into the next generations.

The market will be located at the Church of the Mediator, which previously housed a pantry where Edmondson and market partner Maribel Carr distributed food during the pandemic. While redirecting surplus items, Edmondson would often connect with now-partner organizations such as the Friendly Fridge Foundation to share resources and ideas. 

It was also through the former Mediator pantry that a Kingsbridge resident brought to Edmondson’s attention the need for a more localized farmers market. The Riverdale Y Farmers Market was too far to be convenient for her, but she would commute weekly nonetheless to stock up on fresher items. 

Although Kingsbridge is home to a few supermarkets, its dominated by fast food chains. If there are options, they are often limited to minor differences in font and form between McDonald’s, Burger King, Chick-fil-A and Pizza Hut.

The state health department’s recent report warned not only diets lacking in health but chronic hunger, both the product of food insecurity, can result in stress, malnutrition and increased risks of diabetes, heart disease and asthma.

Edmondson said she wants to expand this idea of options to allow residents, especially kids, to learn how to eat in a way that promotes their longevity. While the upcoming Kingsbridge market will offer organic choices, its larger objective is to uplift local vendors and farmers.

The market will run on Saturdays to complement the Riverdale Y Farmers Market, which runs every Sunday, and ensure the community has access to fresh produce throughout the weekend.

Edmondson said education, especially regarding nutrition, is the key to beating food insecurity. For this reason, the Kingsbridge market will offer more than just fresh produce. 

“Our mission is to nourish and uplift our community,” Edmondson said, “through a wide selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, hosting wellness classes and showcasing valuable resources for all residents.”

Currently, Edmondson is focused on making EBT, OTC, and health bucks more accessible to Kingsbridge residents to ensure everyone can benefit from the farmers market. Over the past few months, she and Carr have scouted farmers markets around the city to design a more innovative concept tailored to Kingsbridge’s needs. 

So far, Edmondson’s efforts have been well received by both the public and local leaders. A group of young volunteers from the Bronx High School of Science will help transform the Mediator into a dynamic new Kingsbridge commons. Councilman Eric Dinowitz pledged his support for the project from its earliest stages, as did Sarah Allen of partner organization Friendly Fridge Foundation. 

Allen praised Edmondson for her longstanding work in local food advocacy, calling her “the perfect example of developing community.”