CHICAGO (WLS) — Minutes before the grand opening of Austin Harvest, a new produce market, the youth-led staff took great care to make sure the fruits and vegetables look their best. Their pride and excitement is evident as the students are determined to fill a need on the West Side, widely recognized as being a food desert.
“Currently in Austin, we only have two grocery stores in a 10-mile radius, and that’s not cool for a community as large as Austin,” said Keith Tankson, Austin Harvest.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
Students with the By the Hand Club created Austin Harvest during the pandemic. It was originally planned a single season pop-up open air market. But overwhelming support for the community prompted the students to network and fundraise for a permanent structure which will be operated year-round.
Rodney Williams, the director of entrepreneurship at the By the Hand …