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Hattie's Food Hub will be located near the gardens it operates at the Akron Zoo.

(Hattie Larlham )

AKRON, Ohio - A new Hattie Larlham corner market operated by people with developmental disabilities will provide fresh locally-grown produce to a city neighborhood.

Hattie's Food Hub in the Cedar-Douglas neighborhood of Akron opens at 4:30 p.m. today with tours of the 4,400 square-foot facility, cooking demonstrations and children's activities.

The market is on a once-vacant lot at 395 Douglas Street, near the Akron Zoo.

In addition to a retail market, the food hub includes a commercial kitchen and a community education center. The center will offer free cooking demonstrations and other programs.

Hattie Larlham, a non-profit that works with people with disabilities, was allocated $250,000 in state funds in 2014 to open a food hub.

The food hub is a work training program that employs eight to 12 jobs. Working with guidance from job coaches, food hub employees develop the technical and social skills needed for competitive community employment, the agency said.

Employees wash, prepare, package and sell fresh produce grown at Hattie's Gardens and by Northeast Ohio farmers.

Hattie's Gardens were established at the Akron Zoo and Old Trail School.

"We listened to what our neighbors in this community needed. Access to fresh produce was a big concern," Dotty Grexa, vice president of vocational services at Hattie Larlham, said in a statement.

"We were already developing a produce processing operation in this area. In response to the needs of people who live nearby, as well as downtown Akron commuters, we expanded the original plan and increased the size of our market. We are honored to be a part of this community and hope to serve our neighbors for years to come."

Hattie Larlham, headquartered in Twinsburg, provides medical, residential recreational and vocational services for more than 1,500 children and adults with developmental disabilities.

In addition to its Cafe & Gifts locations and gardens, Hattie Larlham also operates a dog daycare and boarding facility, a bakery, online store and vending operation.