The 61st Street Farmers Market, a program of Experimental Station, has become more than just a place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables on Saturdays.

In addition to providing access to healthy food for 63,984 community members over 35 market days in the year, the Market is working year-round to build a healthier, more connected community through food, education, and wellness programs.

As this week marks National Volunteer Week, we want to thank the incredible individuals who power Experimental Station through their time, talent, and care. Since our early days—and especially with the launch of the 61st Street Farmers Market in 2008—volunteers have played a vital role in building a more equitable and sustainable food culture in our community.

Blackstone Bicycle Works (BBW) is bringing bike education to Andrew Carnegie Elementary School and Bret Harte Elementary School—both Chicago Public Schools located on the South Side.

This expansion provides bike safety training, cycling skills, and hands-on learning to even more youth throughout the school year.

This spring break, 14 youths from seven local high schools joined Blackstone Bicycle Works for an educational 1-week Spring Break Camp. From early morning to late afternoon each day, the participants dove into a hands-on mix of bike mechanics, creative bicycle art, STEM activities, and college and career exploration, turning their spring break into a week full of skill-building, growth, and fun.

Illinois farmers markets don’t stop with summer! Thanks to storage and indoor growing, fresh produce—greens, mushrooms, root veggies, apples, and more—remains available at winter markets.

Batavia Indoor Market, one of 30 Link Match partners, helps make healthy food accessible for SNAP recipients year-round. The market operates every Saturday, featuring around 20 vendors. Most vendors offer SNAP-eligible items, with five offering Link Match-eligible items.

Less than 5% of the food we eat in Illinois is grown here—95% is imported. This means missed opportunities to support local farmers and access fresh, nutritious food.

That's why Experimental Station launched the Illinois Food System Taskforce to develop a 10-year statewide food system roadmap with input from stakeholders across Illinois.

Giving Tuesday (Dec 3) is just around the corner. Join Experimental Station over the next few weeks as we take you on a journey of our impact and why your support matters.

Your contribution will help us address food insecurity, empower youth, and build community in Chicago’s south side and across Illinois.

This fall, Experimental Station celebrates its impactful programs fostering community connections and growth. Blackstone Bicycle Works engaged Woodlawn youth through bike mechanics and career counseling, while the 61st Street Farmers Market deepened ties with Jackson Park Terrace residents, promoting healthy food choices and community engagement. Link Up Illinois enhanced access to fresh, local produce through the statewide Link Match program.

We are thrilled to share that Experimental Station’s Blackstone Bicycle Works program was featured yesterday on ABC 7 Chicago Eyewitness News! Reporter Leah Hope visited BBW at 6100 S Blackstone to interview two BBW Earn-A-Bike Summer Camp participants, siblings Leila and Nazareth, who shared their enthusiasm for the program.