The Pathfinder Produce team announces new extended hours starting this week for their store operations at the Pathfinder Village Commons, Edmeston. The program, part of Pathfinder Village’s Adult Day Services, has improved local access to fresh fruits and vegetables since 2013. The market will offer special promotions for its 11th annual market, set for World Down Syndrome Day on Thursday, March 21. (Submitted photo)

EDMESTON – Pathfinder Produce, the fresh fruits and vegetables market at the Pathfinder Village Commons, is extending its hours starting this week. The new market hours are Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with additional hours on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The market is also celebrating its 11th anniversary on Thursday, March 21, with special promotions. That day is World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), and Pathfinder will join in the global celebration that highlights the contributions of people with Down syndrome. March 21 – “3-21” – is observed as the numerical date represents the triplication of the 21st chromosome in the human genotype, the cause of 95% of occurrences of Down syndrome.

Pathfinder Produce, a microbusiness operated through the Village’s Adult Day Services, is an integrated model for improving rural health outcomes and addressing health disparities while providing gainful employment and training opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The market held its grand opening on March 21, 2013, and has been offering fresh food markets, community produce distributions, and grant-funded Mobile Market delivery services since then.

“The men and women in our Adult Day Services have grown into their roles in hosting our fresh produce market each week; they have a sense of ownership in Pathfinder Produce,” said Layla Hazlett, OTR/L, the Director & Clinical Coordinator of Adult Services. “Our produce operations encourage on-the-job leadership and skills growth and provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to contribute to the quality of life in the community. The new market hours will increase access for busy families to buy the fresh, healthy foods they need, and they will also increase the connections between Pathfinder and the shopping public.”

The market has recently extended its product lines with locally sourced inspected meats, milk, eggs, and staple foods. Pathfinder Produce provides a necessary service for local consumers as Edmeston is in a USDA-designated food desert; the closest full-service grocery store is over 10 miles away.

Pathfinder Village is an internationally respected livable community and services provider in upstate New York; it was founded in 1980 to provide people with Down syndrome and other disabilities an independent and fulfilling lifestyle. As it works to provide quality supports for individuals with intellectual disabilities, the Village also offers highly successful educational, day services, vocational/pre-vocational, and outreach programs. To learn more, visit https://pathfindervillage.org, or visit our social media on Facebook and Instagram.

– Information from Pathfinder Village