On Wednesday, Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new Pratt Free Market at the Southeast Anchor Library in Highlandtown, reports WMAR2 News.
The Pratt Free Mark is a pilot project aimed at addressing citywide barriers to food access by offering residents groceries- from cereal and produce to dry goods and feminine products—at no cost. Anyone passing by can drop in and fill up one library-supplied bag per day.
The initiative was able to get off the ground through an original anonymous donation of $250,000.
According to the 2018 Food Environment brief, nearly a third of Baltimore households do not own a vehicle, and the median household income is at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level. These statistics were a determining factor in the corner across from the library becoming the location of the market because it is easily accessible.
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“No income requirements, no ID needed—judgement-free, just come as you are and fill a bag with groceries at NO COST,” Lu Bangura with the Pratt library system wrote on Instagram. “This market is for the City. ALL ARE WELCOME!”
“This community is uniquely situated,” Bangura told WMAR2. “Half of the community suffers from a food desert, while the other half has equitable access.”
The Pratt Free Market will be run by volunteers from the Pratt Library and the Baltimore community. The library is partnering with the Maryland Food Bank, several urban farms, and other community organizations including Plantation Park Heights, Leftover Love, Benbow Concession Services, Moon Valley Farms, and Black Butterfly Farms for help and donations.
“Libraries are more than just books,” Bangura continued. “We are moving towards a time where libraries are a place where people come to find a way to live self-fulfilled lives, and they can’t do that if they’re hungry.”
“At the Maryland Food Bank, we firmly believe that access to nutritious, desirable and culturally inclusive food is a fundamental human right. We stand alongside the Pratt Free Market, which is committed to turning this belief into reality for more residents across Baltimore City,” said Sarah Kennedy with the Maryland Food Bank.
The market officially opens Saturday with a Family Day event from 10 am to 2 pm EST. After that, it will be open every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and every Friday from 2-5 p.m. They expect to serve 2,800 people a month with the free market.
