St. Patrick Center clients are growing fresh food at City Seeds Urban Farm and selling at three local farmers’ markets

Why pay high prices at the grocery store when you can buy fresh food from local farmers, farmers who are working to build permanent, positive change in their lives?

City Seeds Urban Farm is a Gateway Greening urban agriculture partnership providing job training and therapeutic agriculture for St. Patrick Center’s homeless and poor clients, while increasing production and distribution of locally grown foods. The program also trains St. Patrick Center’s homeless clients in green horticulture, preparing them for jobs in landscaping, nurseries, gardening retailers and other green-care jobs.

City Seeds Urban Farm is located near Union Station in downtown St. Louis. As one of St. Patrick Center’s mental health and job training programs, 16 clients graduated from City Seeds and eight found jobs in Fiscal Year 2009.

read more about City Seeds Urban Farm

Fresh produce from City Seeds Urban Farm can be found at the following farmers’ markets throughout the harvest season:

Maplewood Farmers’ Market
Wednesdays from 4:00pm – 7:00pm
April 28 – October 27, 2010
7260 Southwest Avenue
St. Louis, MO 62143
The market is located in the parking lot of Schlafly Bottleworks.

Tower Grove Farmers’ Market
Saturdays from 8:30am – 12:30pm
May 8 – October 23, 2010
The market is located in the center of the park, off of the Tower Grove roundabout; it is located west of the Pool Pavilion.

Downtown Farmers’ Market
Thursdays from 4:00pm – 7:00pm
June 3 – October 26, 2010
Old Post Office
815 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO 63101
The market is located on the Old Post Office Plaza on Locust Street, between 8th and 9th Streets.

MISSION:
St. Patrick Center provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Individuals achieve permanent, positive changes in their lives through affordable housing, sound mental health, employment and financial stability.

FOR MORE INFO:
Kelly Peach
Senior Director of Communications
Direct Line 314.802.0687
Cell 314.581.7126
kpeach@stpatrickcenter.org

Stephanie Rea
Writer/Producer
314-802-1968
srea@stpatrickcenter.org