Livermore Family Opens Their Hearts And Pantry Amid Coronavirus

LIVERMORE, CA — A Livermore family has built a free community market and garden at their home to help neighbors in need.

The Sutton Girls Farmers Market was born after Jeanette Sutton sought to find a way to serve her community and set an example for her four young daughters amid the new coronavirus outbreak. Sutton, her husband and her girls got to brainstorming and thinking about everyone in need of help — at-risk seniors, kids home from school, people without jobs and shoppers picking through empty shelves.

"Our new goal became to create a safe space where all individuals could come without shame to get any and all that they need," Sutton wrote in an email.

They sketched out plans for a community garden, a "blessing box" where neighbors could take and donate non-perishables and the Sutton Girls Farmers Market stand for neighbors to take and donate fresh produce.

Livermore residents have swung by to bring veggies from their gardens, fruit from their trees and grocery store finds.

"All is free," she said. "And all are welcome."

The produce is brought inside and refrigerated every night, then brought outside in the morning. Her girls post videos in Livermore social media groups each day to notify the community of what items are available.

The Suttons "will continue to do so each day until our world is healed," she said. It brings them joy to see that the community is appreciative of their work, and that their daughters are getting a chance to make a difference and inspire others.

"We are so incredibly grateful to this incredibly thoughtful community that we are living in," Sutton said.

Visit the Sutton Girls Farmers Market during the day at Francine Way and Geraldine Street.