Columbia Heights Marketplace Offers Cheap, Healthy Food to Residents

The Columbia Heights Community Marketplace is held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday at the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza at 14th Street and Park Road, NW, located across the street from Target and the Tivoli Theater.

The market aims to promote a community of healthy people who eat foods grown locally and who contribute their skills to create a strong, local economy.

"The Columbia Heights Community Marketplace builds and strengthens this D.C. neighborhood's culture, community and economy through local, sustainably produced food, entertainment, the arts and community service," said Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Dotti Love Wade in a statement. "It does this by educating and empowering community members, especially youth, to learn about and gain employment in local food, farming, entertainment and community service."

Additionally, the market provides alternative ways of payment for the community. All vendors accept Food Stamps, also known as SNAP, WIC and EBT at the markets. Every Saturday, these forms of payments are doubled, up to $10, so community members get more money to buy more food.

"This marketplace appeals to folks who can't spend a lot on groceries and, more importantly, it shows the community that you can eat healthy without spending that much" said ANC-1A Commissioner Laina Aquiline.

The Columbia Heights Community Marketplace will continue to run throughout 2011.