Eastern Michigan University's Nonprofit Leadership Alliance teamed up with Growing Hope for the last open-air farmer's market for the year Saturday morning in Depot Town. Four students helped Growing Hope with activities such as surveys and pumpkin carving.
“A lot of our volunteers are from EMU,” said Julia Entwistle, Growing Hope volunteer coordinator. “Around the fall, I'd say the majority of our volunteers are from EMU.”
Growing Hope is a local healthy food and community garden non-profit that was set up by Ypsilanti mayor Amanda Edmonds before she took office.
The group of volunteers included Isaac Salinas, a freshman who is majoring in dietetics. He worked at a table to help children carve pumpkins.
“This is for the NLA and I hope to work for a nonprofit organization in the future,” Salinas said.
There were around 15 stalls where locally farmed fruits and vegetables were on display. While never full, there was a steady stream of people coming into the market and coming out with grocery bags in their hands.
EMU's chapter of the NLA is a part of a network of nonprofits and higher education institutions that, according to its EMU page, “prepares undergraduate, graduate students and professionals for careers with national and international nonprofit organizations.”
“I'm trying to get more volunteer hours because I graduate in the summer next year,” Paige Rakotz, a senior majoring in health administration said. “I like volunteering. I haven't had many opportunities to do so. Everybody needs help, right?”
The market will be moving to an indoor venue as winter approaches.
