“Going Green” is one of the buzz phrases that everyone is using, but Elmhurst Hospital Center (EHC) is doing more than just talking about it.
On July 13, Elmhurst Hospital Center held a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the grand opening of a farmers’ market on hospital grounds.
The Elmhurst Hospital Center Greenmarket, which is run by the non-profit GrowNYC and features a variety of fresh, regionally-grown produce, is located on 41st Avenue between 80th and 81st Streets (outside of the hospital’s Community Medical Center building) and operates every Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“We are on the front lines of fighting diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other illnesses linked to diet, so we are thrilled to have the market here to provide reasonably-priced, healthier options for our patients and employees,” said Elmhurst Hospital Center Executive Director Chris Constantino.
In addition to Constantino, hospital administrators, employees and local elected officials, including Congressmember Joseph Crowley and Councilmember Danny Dromm, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“The Greenmarket is a fantastic addition to this community,” said Dromm, who represents Jackson Heights and who, along with EHC’s Community Advisory Board, lobbied strongly for arrival of the hospital-based market. “Just walking up the street on the way over here I could smell the fresh vegetables and I think that’s wonderful.”
In addition to produce, Greenmarket vendors also sell flowers, fresh cuts of meat, and baked goods. Cash, credit cards, debit cards, EBT, WIC, and Senior FMNP checks are all accepted.
GrowNYC’s Greenmarket is the largest and most successful open-air farmers’ market program in the country. Greenmarket connects local farmers with city residents by delivering high-quality produce to all five boroughs. By directly linking farmers and producers to New Yorkers, Greenmarket supports family farms, preserves farm land and delivers fresh produce to those who need it most.
For more information about the Elmhurst Hospital Center Greenmarket, visit www.grownyc.org. For general information about Elmhurst Hospital Center, visit nyc.gov/elmhursthospital.
