Reducing Food Insecurity · Supporting Healthy Aging · Supporting Local Farmers

Market Days for Older Adults is a unique program that addresses food insecurity among older adults while supporting local agriculture. The program began in summer 2018.

How Market Days for Older Adults Works

We receive money from grants, sponsors and donations to buy food from local farmers who are at the Larimer County Farmers' Market. Volunteers then bag up the produce in reusable shopping totes.

We work with partner organizations to distribute the food across Larimer County, including rural areas like Berthoud, Loveland and Red Feather Lakes. Some recipients pick up their Market Days bag on Saturday at the Farmers' Market. Those who do not have access to transportation and are not affiliated with a community partner get home delivery.

Participants receive $18 worth of fresh produce bag every other week from June until the end of October.

Market Days Logo

Why Market Days is Important

Patricia Lipinski, FNP, is a Nurse Practitioner at St. Luke's Medical Clinic. She loves Market Days for older adults because of how it supports healthy aging for her clients. As she says:

“Many of our patients live in poverty. One 90-year-old woman living alone was eating cat food. Several started crying when we delivered their bag of fresh produce. Market Days is greatly needed in our community.”

 

Produce from a Market Days bag laid out for display. Included is acorn squash, carrots, cabbage, turnips, apples, mushrooms, and potatoes.
Market Days supports healthy aging while reducing food insecurity. Through our partnership with other community organizations, we can even reach rural areas, such as Red Feather Lakes.
 

Support for Healthy Aging

The produce provided in Market Days bags is carefully selected to ensure it's easy to use. Besides fresh produce, Market Days bags also include:

  • Recipes and tips on how to cook or preserve the produce provided.
  • Information sheets on aging-related resources and services available in Larimer County.

Volunteers preparing produce for packing
Volunteers sign up to deliver bags of fresh produce to older adults who need assistance in Larimer County. For many, the bags of vegetables can be life-changing.

A Community-Wide Effort

From volunteers, local farmers, county leaders, and partners, Market Days is truly a community-wide effort.

Some of our community partners who participate in the program include:

  • The Larimer County Office on Aging
  • Housing Catalyst
  • Meals on Wheels Fort Collins
  • A Little Help
  • Neighbor to Neighbor
  • Loveland Housing Authority
  • Loveland’s Community Kitchen
  • Logo Vista Mobile Home Park
  • St. Luke’s Medical Clinic
  • Red Feather Lakes Community Library
 
Volunteers pack produce bags
For older adults who need assistance, the cost of fresh produce can be a barrier. More affordable food choices, such as dry and canned goods, are not the most nutritious options.

Support Market Days for Older Adults

"Buy a Bag" for $18

With increasing levels of food insecurity across the state, the number of older adults in need is expected to grow as well.

You can make a difference! For just $18, you can buy a bag of farm-fresh local produce for an older adult in need. Your donation:

  • Helps reduce the hard decision between paying bills or buying food
  • Supports healthy aging
  • Connects local farmers to the greater community

 

 

Sponsor Market Days for Older Adults

We offer a variety of sponsorship opportunities for small and large businesses. Your sponsorship supports our work to reduce food insecurity in older adults in Larimer County.

Review our Sponsorship Opportunities

For more information, contact Cheryl Noble at the Larimer County Extension Office: cnoble@larimer.org or 970-498-6000.

Produce being picked up from a farmer at the Farmers' Market
We buy produce from farmers at the Larimer County Farmers' Market. This supports local producers and the Northern Colorado farming community.
 

 Thank you to our 2023 Sponsors:

2023 Premier Sponsor:

Desperado Realty

Other 2023 Sponsors:

Logo: United Healthcare
 
Logo: Kaiser Permanente
BioBubble
Noco Nosh

 

Click here to view a PDF of our 2022 Community Impact Report

About Market Days

Market Days is a program of the Larimer County Office of Colorado State University Extension and the Larimer County Farmers’ Market providing fresh produce from the market to older adults who are 60+ and experiencing food insecurity or hunger. 

Market Days began in 2019 and operates from June through  October. This year we added a transportation service to bring participants to the market who needed transit. We also created an advisory board for accountability, growth, and sustainability.

2022 by the Numbers

  • 225 Individuals Served
  • 1,281 Bags Distributed
  • $19,250 to Local Growers
  • 260 Volunteer Hours
  • 6 Student Interns

Community Partners

  • Larimer County Office on Aging
  • Meals on Wheels Fort Collins
  • Lago Vista Mobile Home Park
  • St. Luke's Medical Clinic
  • Mason Place
  • Loveland Housing Authority
  • A Little Help
  • Housing Catalyst
  • Neighbor to Neighbor
  • Red Feather Lakes Library
  • Loveland's Community Kitchen

Program Survey

In partnership with CSU's Department of Human Development and Family Studies, we surveyed 32 recipients of the Market Days program.

  • 25 reported their health improved a lot or a little due to Market Days
  • 28 reported they would like to see Market Days run year-round
  • 31 said they were very satisfied with Market Days

2022 Sponsors

Premier Sponsor:

Logo: Kaiser Permanente

Other 2022 Sponsors:

Logo: United Healthcare
Logo: Residents United
Loco: ENT Credit Union
BioBubble
Logo: Lucky's Market
Noco Nosh
Larimer County Logo

 

Click here to view a PDF of our 2021 Impact Report

  • Total bags distributed between May 22th – Oct. 23rd, 2021: 1,445 (a 25% increase from 2020)
  • 65 Volunteers – a total of 363 volunteer hours
  • Number of Older Adults Served: 480* (*an additional 46 children benefited through Grand Family Coalition)
  • Total Dollars to Local Farmers: $18,785
  • 11 Community Partners:
    • Larimer County Office on Aging
    • Grand Family Coalition
    • Meals on Wheels FC
    • Lago Vista Mobile Home Park
    • A Little Help
    • Housing Catalyst
    • Neighbor to Neighbor
    • Red Feather Lakes Library
    • Mason Place
    • FC Neighborhood Services
    • St. Luke’s Medical Clinic

Click here to view a PDF of our 2020 Impact Report

  • Number of individuals served: 269
  • Participants received an average of 4.3 bags during the market season
  • Total bags distributed: 1,161
  • Total Volunteers: 73
  • Total Volunteer Hours: 413
  • Total dollars spend: $25,390
  • Community Partners that participated: 
    • Housing Catalyst
    • The Northern
    • Lagovista Mobile Home Park
    • Grand Family Coalition
    • Crossroads Church
    • Larimer County Office on Aging
    • A Little Help
    • Partnership for Age Friendly Communities
    • Meals on Wheels of Fort Collins
    • Neighbor to Neighbor
    • Arikara Farm Project
  • Generous Sponsors: 
    • Larimer County
    • Bath Garden Center & Nursery
    • Associates in Family Medicine
    • Next 50 Initiative
      • In 2020, with support from a COVID relief grant from the NextFifty Initiative and funding from the Larimer County Office on Aging, the program generated an additional $25,000 in revenue for participating farmers.
  • In addition to produce from market farmers, some produce is donated by community partners. In 2020, Market Days received a donation from the Colorado Dry Bean Committee to provide Colorado-grown beans for participants.

Non-Discrimination Statement

Colorado State University Extension is an equal opportunity provider. Colorado State University does not discriminate on the basis of disability and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations. CSU’s Office of Engagement and Extension ensures meaningful access and equal opportunities to participate to individuals whose first language is not English. Colorado State University Extension es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

Colorado State University no discrimina por motivos de discapacidad y se compromete a proporcionar adaptaciones razonables. Office of Engagement and Extension de CSU garantiza acceso significativo e igualdad de oportunidades para participar a las personas quienes su primer idioma no es el inglés.

Col.st/ll0t3

Larimer County Farmers' Market

2024 Season:

May 18th - Oct. 26th
9am - 1pm
200 W. Oak Street, Fort Collins

Contact us

Larimer County Farmers' Market Logo