Metro Health Will Again Host Farmers’ Market

March 28, 2012 - PRLog -- Wyoming, Michigan, March 28, 2012 – Metro Health Hospital will kick off its popular summer farmers’ market on May 3.

Now in its seventh year, the weekly open-air market will host a diverse array of vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables, breads, plants, flowers and other locally grown and produced foods, as well as handcrafted artisan items such as jewelry, soap and candles, on site at the Wyoming hospital.  The market will also hold free community health screenings on many of the days, including blood pressure checks and others.

The market will again accept Project Fresh and Senior Project Fresh/Market Fresh Coupons, which are state of Michigan programs that encourage eating healthy fruits and vegetables by offering coupons redeemable at farmers’ markets to residents on food assistance. The market will also offer Double Up Food Bucks to shoppers using their Michigan Bridge Card.

The farmers’ market will host fun events throughout the summer, including master gardener day, strawberry festival, Christmas in July and others. The market will also be sharing updates on Facebook about fun things happening each week during the season.

The market, which is free and open to the community, is held every Thursday on Main Street in Metro Health Village from May 3 through Oct. 11. This year, due to its popularity, hours have been extended, and the market will now be open 9 a.m. through 2 p.m.

Metro Health first hosted a farmers’ market in 2006 when it was still located in the city of Grand Rapids.  The market, which was then biweekly, began as an initiative to encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles.  Since then, it has grown into a community-wide event that attracts hundreds of visitors each week.  

About Metro Health Hospital
Metro Health is a regional health-care organization with a 208-bed general acute care osteopathic teaching hospital and 12 neighborhood outpatient centers, serving more than 250,000 patients in Kent and surrounding counties. Metro, which earned status as a Top 100 Hospital for three consecutive years, offers a broad range of services, including hospital inpatient and outpatient services, emergency, surgery, cancer, cardiology, intensive care and rehabilitation.  Physician, therapy and diagnostic services are offered in its 12 neighborhood centers. Metro’s work is supported by the Metro Health Hospital Foundation, which is a charitable organization dedicated to improving the health and well being of the West Michigan community through philanthropy.  For more information, visit www.metrohealth.net.