DETROIT – Residents in Detroit are going to have access to free, fresh produce this summer.
Thanks to the Pistons Neighbors Program, deliveries of fresh produce from Eastern Market will be made to 11 local parks each week through Aug. 15.
Residents don’t have to show ID or meet any eligibility criteria to receive the produce. There are no limitations and participants are encouraged to take what they need.
The park schedule and locations are as follows:
- Boyer Park, Tuesdays at 1 p.m.
- Chandler Park, Thursdays at 1 p.m.
- Ella Fitzgerald Park, Mondays at 11:30 a.m.
- Farwell Park, Mondays at 2 p.m.
- James T. Hope Playfield, Wednesdays at 3 p.m.
- Kelley Park, Thursdays at 10 a.m.
- O’Hair Park, Tuesdays at 4 p.m.
- Pallister Park, Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.
- Rouge Park, Saturdays at 11:30 a.m.
- Van Antwerp Park, Thursdays at 4 p.m.
- Yates Park, Saturdays at 9 a.m.
The Neighbors Program seeks to encourage residents to take advantage of their public parks by offering sports clinics, live music, dance classes and visual arts to select parks.
Thanks to grant funding from the Priority Health Total Health Foundation, the Detroit Pistons Foundation coordinates the produce program in partnership with the Detroit Parks Coalition.
A similar produce stand pilot program is being planned for the fall to provide food at four Detroit parks between Labor Day and Halloween.
The Pistons Neighbors Program was created in 2019. In 2024, more than 2,000 people participated in various Neighbors Program activities throughout the summer, including the produce stands.
More information about the program and other events can be found here.