CHICAGO – A teen-led market that began as a pop-up on Chicago’s West Side now has a permanent home.
On Tuesday, a ribbon cutting unlike any other was held for Austin Harvest, a dream come true for the nonprofit run By The Hand Club For Kids.
Austin Harvest is entirely led by high school students from several area schools who will be responsible for all operations, including budgeting, ordering, staffing and more.
The new 2,220-square-foot space includes an open-air patio that serves as a gathering space for local residents. The market has averaged serving 100 customers a week, with 15% of customers SNAP benefits and senior service farmer market coupons.
Students will also get an educational stipend, class credit, and real-world experience in customer relations.
What began in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and originally conceived as a one-season temporary fling ultimately took root and has only grown.
“We started as a pop-up. The original program was only scheduled for 12 weeks, but the community would not let us close up shop,” said Rodney Williams, the director of entrepreneurship and economic development for Austin Harvest.
Then there’s LaQuinton Wooten, a senior at Carl Schurz High School, and a student ambassador with the harvest.
“Every aspect of Austin Harvest, I get to lead and be a part of,” Wooten said.
Wooten will be a college student next year and feels this experience at Austin Harvest will plant the seeds of tomorrow while helping his neighbors of today.
“It enhances my knowledge and entrepreneurship in a field I would like to study, helps my community, powerful for me to be a part of,” Wooten said.
Catering to SNAP recipients and senior citizens with farmer market coupons and a profit margin no greater than 10%, Austin Harvest’s mission is to provide year-round access to produce and flowers, now doing business in the same spot that used to be a liquor store, an all too familiar occurrence in that part of town and a shortage of grocery stores to boot.
Austin Harvest is run by the nonprofit By The Hand Club For Kids and has partnered with Jewel-Osco and Flowers For Dreams to make this possible.
Austin Harvest hopes to be around for generations to come and maybe even replicate their business model in other neighborhoods across the city.