The Capital Market Addresses Food Insecurity in Prince George’s County: The Turnip Tour
In 2016, following the closing of the only full-service supermarket in the Central Avenue/Blue Line Corridor, a group of residents, came together to start a community-based Farmer’s Market. The closing of the supermarket created a food desert, an unfortunate common occurrence in historically underinvested communities across the DMV region and country. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated this issue, leading many grocery stores and restaurants to close their doors. In Prince George’s County, food insecurity rates increased from 14.3% to 17% during the pandemic.
LISC’s approach to health equity is holistic: we promote walkable communities with safe places to gather, access to healthy and affordable housing, quality education and healthcare, living wage jobs, and healthy foods. The community-based farmer’s market above, later became The Capital Market, who is one of LISC’s key partners in Prince George’s County’s Blue Line Corridor. The Capital Market is a community-based farmer’s market and advocacy organization that:
- provides healthy, affordable food options to our neighbors in the Capitol Heights neighborhood and surrounding vicinity;
- supports the growth of local-businesses and farms owned and operated by people of color;
- advocates for equitable and culturally-aware food systems.
The Turnip Tour at Addison Road/Seat Pleasant Metro Stop.
LISC is proud to support The Capital Market’s newest initiative, the Turnip Tour. The Turnip Tour is a mobile food experience featuring a series of rotating farmers markets throughout Prince George’s County connecting cultural heritage, food system advocacy, and local businesses to address healthy food access.
Learn more about The Capital Market at one of their stops on The Turnip Tour.
- October 21st, 2023: Town of Capitol Heights – 11am-3pm (133 Central Avenue, Capitol Heights, MD 20743)
- November 4th, 2023: Ridgeley Community – 10am-2pm (8507 Central Avenue, Capitol Heights, MD 20743)