Mawuhi African Market Needs a New Home!

Pat has asked us to temporarily pause this fundraiser. When she finds a space to move in to she will contact me when she is accepting donations again. Thank you for your support.

Since 2007, Patience Bannerman and her family have run the  Mawuhi African Market in the center of Burlington, Vt.’s Old North End, providing valuable goods and services to the African Diaspora of Vermont, and greater New England. This fundraiser's goal is to raise as much money as possible by May 2020 to provide a downpayment on a new space for the Market. She has been told to vacate by the property owner. Read more here: African Market Must Move 
In October 2020, Patience, or "Pat" to her many friends and neighbors, was devastated to hear that her 13-year-long lease would not be renewed by the new owners of the building her store inhabits.  With generous support of her neighbors she was able to raise some funds, and community pressure has resulted in an extension of her lease until May.

New Burlingtonians, preparing to cook food for the holidays or homesick for the flavors of Ghana, where Ms. Bannerman was born, or other of countries of origin, come to Mawuhi African Market to find food they can not find anywhere else: spices, shrimp and vegetables that taste like home. The Mawuhi African Market is also the only location in the neighborhood that has MoneyGram, which people from across the world use to send money home to their families.  

Pat has a message for her supporters: "Thank you for supporting a minority woman-owned business, operating since 2007. Please come see us if you are in the neighborhood--we carry a large variety of ethnic foods and beauty products. We also cater for special events and gatherings!"

All funds raised will go toward finding  a new location, moving and set-up costs, as well as compensation for lost business during the months closed to prepare for the move and refurbishing the new building. Thank you for your consideration.