All Over Albany

Mount Ida Monday Market

Project: The Mount Ida Monday Market, a farmer's and flea market in Prospect Park to be held the last Mondays of June, July, August and September.

Who: Sarah Fish

Short bio
I am Sarah Fish, owner of the former Hungry Fish Café and current owner of Annie Patterson's Fancy Shop in Troy, NY. I recently purchased a vacant foreclosed property in the city of Troy and spent the past year renovating it to open my new business and live above my store with my partner, Joshua Sheehan. Once set on continuing my restaurant in our new location and building my career as an organic, from scratch chef, after overcoming many obstacles in the past few years in addition to some major accomplishments, I've made some changes in my life and have positioned myself away from the kitchen in order to direct more time and energy into giving back to my community.

As a business owner, I feel it is my obligation to support other small businesses, so I source locally created art to sell on consignment in my shop, and stared the Mount Ida Community Alliance in order to bring the neighborhood and the city together by hosting events in Prospect Park in order to raise money for community improvement projects and to help other community groups with fundraising so they can more quickly reach their own goals and community improvement efforts. We are all in this together.

A description of the proposed project
My proposed project is the Mount Ida Community Alliance's first undertaking, the Mount Ida Monday Market; already approved by the City of Troy, it is a farmer's and flea market in Prospect Park to be held the last Mondays of June, July, August and September. Each date will feature local farm vendors, arts and antique vendors, entertainment such as live local music, balloon twisting, face painting and also informational booths regarding area community groups and how you can get involved in positive change in your own neighborhood- completely free of charge to anyone. The market will run from 4pm to 8pm and at sundown, bring your own chair because the night will end with an outdoor "walk-in" movie theater. For the September market, the locally produced movie by Don Rittner, "H," will have its premier.

Each date will also feature a special theme, such as youth programs, community gardening, historic preservation and more. The funds raised at these markets will in part be donated to area community groups and also towards neighborhood improvements within the Mount Ida area.

The main goal with each date set is of course to bring the community together, but also to provide an area that's a food dessert with fresh local produce and make use of a highly underutilized natural space within the city- the largest in fact, and create a neighborhood that is enjoyable for those in and around it. In addition to that, the mission is to raise money for future community improvements not only in the Mount Ida Neighborhood, but also to fund raise for other area community groups so they can have some help reaching their goals. Groups poised to receive funding this year include Troy Urban Farming Initiative, Mount Ida Preservation Association, Collar City Skate Park Initiative, and updating the Prospect Park playground.
I want to do this because I believe in sustainable communities.

Funding is essential to help get this project get underway. Although I am seeking corporate sponsors to assist in funding, an initial sum of money to fund advertising, pay for insurance, secure Fun Flicks to operate the movie screen and sound, to provide clean up efforts in and around Prospect Park, and hire a market manager, is necessary for the success of all four events. As one woman, I cannot provide the funding for this entire project alone, and I am seeking the help of other like minded individuals who support these kinds of efforts.

How would the grant money help?
I have gotten approval from the city to hold the Monday Market; I have applied for a grant from my local fraternity, Phi Sigma Kappa; I have begun confirming vendors for each date and gotten an estimate of around $1300 for the movie screen and sound, so the $1500 I would receive from AOA would go towards professionally marketing the Mount Ida Monday Market and beautifying the area along Congress Street to prepare the neighborhood for the events planned in the Park and for the area businesses and residents. I would like to use some of the money to fund a clean up effort with the help of Phi Sigma Kappa, to buy a banner to hang at the entrance of the park to draw attention to the Market, and to pay for the insurance to cover the four dates. Cleaning up the area, marketing and insurance are crucial to all phases of the project.