The Power Of Produce (POP) Club is a nationally recognized kids program started at the Oregon City Farmers Market in May 2011, to empower kids to make healthy food choices, introducing them to where their food comes from. It’s free for kids 5 years to 12 years to join. Watch it in action at the summer market in 2014:
This program is now being implemented in many farmers markets across the US and in Canada. In 2017 1089 kids joined the Power Of Produce Club resulting in 4023 kids shopping trips. We’re raising the next generation of Market shoppers and good food eaters!
HOW THE POP CLUB WORKS:
KIDS, between the ages of 5-12yrs :
- Sign their “Passport To Health”. We keep the Passport at the Market’s Info. booth to track participation.
- Receive a POP reusable shopping bag. (one time)
- Receive a POP Button.
- Receive $2 EVERY time they come to market, in wooden tokens to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables and food plants.
- Participate in value-creating activities (POP CLUB FUN!) based around food, nutrition and food growing. At every summer Saturday Market you can find activities such as seed planting (beans, sunflowers, lettuce, herbs), salad-making, flour-grinding and pancake-making, freezer jam making, , jumping around with the Lions Club and much more. Fave Farmer Day is a special day! …the kids make buttons decorated with their fave fruit or veggies and pin it on their fave farmer. Cider Pressing takes place in October.
More About the Program
The USDA posted about the POP Club on their blog, August 8th 2013 http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/08/08/farmers-markets-teaching-kids-where-food-comes-from/
Clackamas County Master Gardeners and Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District have funded this seasons POP Club with help from On Point Community Credit Union, Bob’s Red Mill, and the many customers and supporters who donate small amounts at the Market …keep it coming, we need constant support to keep the program going!
Support POP
Please note you can make a deductible donation to the POP Club at the Market, with our online donation form (note that your donation is for the POP Club in the comments section of the form) or if you would prefer to send in a donation to keep this fantastic healthy-eating club going please make your check out to OCFM and mail with your return address to PO Box 2931, Oregon City, Oregon, 97045. Please take the time to fill out a comment form about the program at the market! We would like to remind our sponsors how much value this program is creating. Thanks 🙂
