Old North St. Louis Restoration Group's North City Farmers' Market has partnered with St. Louis University's Department of Nutrition & Dietetics and six other St. Louis area farmers' markets to raise funds for a new program designed to increase access to healthy and affordable foods for lower income households.  The Double Bucks program provides matching funds to allow recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as "Food Stamps") to get even more fresh foods at North City Farmers' Market and other area markets.

To raise the necessary funds to launch the Double Bucks program, the participating markets set up a  collaborative, online fundraising effort through the IndieGoGo crowdfunding site.  Click on the image above or HERE to learn more about and to make your contribution.  The campaign has reached its original target of $3,000 (and THANK YOU to all who contributed), but contributions can still be made through the end of today (Aug. 15).  The more funds raised through this effort, the more funds will be available to help lower income families improve their health & nutrition, which also means more sales revenue for our market vendors.  So, please make a contribution today!

And speaking of North City Farmers' Market, the market will be open this Saturday, Aug. 16 (and EVERY Saturday until Oct. 18) from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., along the 2700 block of N. 14th Street, just south of St. Louis Avenue.

We'll have a wide array of fresh fruits, veggies, local crafts, and delicious baked goods.  We accept cash and EBT/SNAP benefits!

Our musical guest this week will be Olivia Neal. The Magic House will offer children's activities. The Urban League's health van will provide free screenings and health information. And, Great Rivers Greenway will have information about their bike share program. 

Before the market opens, stop by the Mighty Mississippians' Sustainable Land Lab lot at Montgomery & N. 13th Street for a free guided yoga session from 9-10 a.m.

From 11 a.m. to noon, stop by the Chess Pocket Park (another Sustainable Land Lab lot) at 2713 N. 14th Street for free chess lessons led by a representative of the Chess Club of St. Louis, or just to play a pick-up game of chess.  Lessons are offered every Saturday.

As always, if you have suggestions for items or activities you'd like to see or bring to the market, please let us know.  And, if you'd like to volunteer at the market, we've always got room for more!

ONSLRG's Crown Square development partners, Rise Communtiy Development will be holding their annual celebration of revitalization on Thursday, Aug. 21 from 6 - 10 p.m., right in the heart of Old North, along the 2600 and 2700 blocks of N. 14th Street.  The street fest is free and open to the public, so spread the word and bring your neighbors for a great, family-friendly, community-enriching party in one of the best outdoor settings our city offers.  The festival features live music from multiple bands performing ont he St. Louis Blues Society/National Blues Museum Stage, street entertainers, an artists' village, a kids carnival area, food, drink, and so much more!  For additional information, check out the details on the event's Facebook page by clicking HERE.

While you're at the Rise Up street festival, be sure to stop in to the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group gallery to see the current exhibit, "We Are of the Same Essence," photographs by Sylvester Jacobs, featuring - and celebrating - the people of Old North.  

For more information on this exhibit and Sylvester's statement on what motivated him to put his focus on the people who are the backbone of community but are often overlooked or ignored, click HERE. 

Thanks to the tireless efforts of ONSLRG Board member Doug Rasmussen, three bands from the Southeastern corner of the U.S. will travel to St. Louis on Saturday, Sept. 27 to perform a benefit concert for Old North St. Louis Restoration Group. Headlining the concert will be the band Five Eight from Athens, Georgia (returning for a 2nd year).  They'll be joined by The Pauses of Orlando, Florida, and Corvus & Canis of Columbus, Georgia. If you'd like to offer your financial support to help ONSLRG continue its work revitalizing Old North AND get all sorts of perks (such as tickets, band merchandise, logo on the stage banner & a chance to introduce one of the bands from the stage), click HERE to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.  Or, if you just want to enjoy some great live music while you show your support for ONSLRG, click HERE to get your tickets now.

Many of the great things going on in Old North throughout the summer were made possible (or made better) by the support we received from seven individuals who worked with us as interns.  Now that the summer is coming to an end, we bid farewell to all of these wonderful people, including (pictured from left to right on the top row of the photo above): Eric Bablinskas, who actually has completed his full year of service as an Episcopal Service Corps intern; Jamala Wallace of St. Louis University; Gracie Aeschbacher of Washington University; Bottom row: Anthony Reed of Savannah College of Art & Design; Sara Feagans of St. Louis University; and Vanessa Asaro of Vanderbilt University.  Not pictured but appreciated, as well, is Whitney Howland of Washington University.  We can't thank you all enough, and we'll miss seeing all of you around the office.

As a not-for-profit, communty based organization, we rely on the financial support of people who care about Old North and the cause of sustainable, respectful, community driven revitalization.  You can help us continue this work by making a tax-deductible contribution right now.  Please click HERE or on the button to the left.  Thank you to all who have already contributed this year!