KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Ivanhoe Farmers Market's opening day was Saturday, welcoming a large crowd with community members emphasizing the event's significance amid recent challenges.
Tatyana Briechbuehler, owner of Bougie Arom, celebrated the day’s success.
“I did get a lot of people to stop by. I was busy back-to-back. It was not a quiet moment for me once I got everything set up,” she said.
The market, located at 3700 Woodland Ave., featured over a dozen vendors and attracted hundreds of visitors eager to support local businesses. This year’s turnout is especially poignant following federal budget cuts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Alana Henry, executive director of the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council, noted the importance of community connections:
“I think what’s going to get us through difficult times is our relationship with others and with community. And I think this opening day is a testament to that.”
Last fall, the USDA initially awarded a grant to the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council, intended to reimburse the council up to $130,000 over three years. However, recent cuts have left a significant financial gap that the council is still working to fill.
“That’s a big gap to try to fill, so we’re not close to filling that," Henry said. "But my heart is full. And I think if you talk to the folks here, their hearts are full as they leave this place.”
Community members are stepping up to help sustain the market. Akil Hutchins, a local resident, emphasized the necessity of supporting local initiatives even in the absence of government backing.
"As a community, we need to be able to support them even when the federal government or any government period is not supporting them," Hutchins said. "We should still be able to hold them up and push them forward.”
The Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council is seeking additional volunteers and donations to help maintain operations and continue supporting local vendors. The enthusiasm witnessed at the market’s opening day highlights the community’s dedication to supporting one another during challenging times.
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