Forge City Works (FCW), a local nonprofit that provides food access and job training programs to the Hartford community, is hosting monthly healthy cooking demonstrations for the community during their summer Farmers Market season, sponsored by Aetna.
The first healthy cooking demonstration will be held on Thursday, June 23rd from 11 am to 2 pm during their summer Farmers Market grand opening celebration at 539 Broad Street Hartford, CT on the green adjacent to Firebox Restaurant.
Attendees will learn how to prepare an Early Summer Salad featuring rhubarb, cucumbers, feta cheese, barley and mixed greens. Three demonstrations will be held at 11:15 am, 12:15 pm, and 1:15 pm.
This summer series of healthy cooking demonstrations sponsored by Aetna will introduce the community to new healthy ways of preparing and cooking their favorite produce that they can purchase from local vendors at the market.
“To have a Farmers Market right here in Frog Hollow is so important in terms of providing access to fresh, local produce and wholesome foods. We are excited to be able to offer cooking demonstrations so that people can get ideas about how to use all of this amazing CT grown produce in their homes. Corporate partners like Aetna help makes this happen,” said Ben Dubow, Executive Director of Forge City Works.
FCW operates the Farmers Market at Broad Street, a weekly summer farmers market that brings much-needed fresh and local food to the city while drawing people together in community. A substantial portion of Hartford residents are low income with little access to a grocery store, so the market is an important seasonal source of fresh produce for many, especially seniors and families with children.
“Forge City Works’ Farmers Market at Broad Street is in the heart of CVS Health’s Hartford Health Zone, where we are focused on supporting multicultural communities and those who are underemployed in the 06106 zip code,” said Brenda Pabon, Senior Manager, Community Affairs, Aetna, a CVS Health company. “By working with local partners like Forge City Works, we can help create measurable increases in health care services, nutritional programs, and more that can improve the health of the Hartford community.”
In addition to the cooking demonstration, Aetna’s Medicare Team will be in attendance, along with Forge City Works’ 2022 summer market vendors. For more information: www.forgecityworks.org/
About Forge City Works: Founded in 2007 as Billings Forge Community Works, Forge City Works is a Hartford-based non-profit with a café, catering business and a farmers’ market. The Kitchen located at 559 Broad Street, Hartford hosts the organization’s culinary job training for youth and adults with barriers to employment. More information is at forgecityworks.org
