Fertile Ground Food Cooperative is one of the organizations using Fresh Food Funds to ensure that neighbors in need have consistent access to fresh, nutritious food. Photo courtesy of Fertile Ground.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of community members, foundations, and businesses have come together to invest in the fresh, nutritious food that our neighbors need – a move that also supports North Carolina family farms.
Over the past three months, Farmer Foodshare has allocated more than $100,000 in contributions from the community into Fresh Food Funds that provide organizations with additional purchasing power for buying fresh, local food. More funding is allocated for the coming months as the need continues to swell.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) is deepening that commitment with a $500,000 investment in Fresh Food Funds and operational support, enabling Farmer Foodshare to partner with more community-led coalitions.
How Fresh Food Funds Work
Fresh Food Funds are financial donations that Farmer Foodshare makes available to nonprofits, school districts, and other groups providing emergency aid to people in need.
Organizations use these funds to buy more fresh North Carolina-grown produce from local farms through Farmer Foodshare. Farms always get paid for what they grow!
Farmer Foodshare sources, aggregates, and delivers the food – safely. Our trucks are on the road daily.
Community partners then pack boxes or individual meals to distribute to neighbors in need.
The Impact
When COVID-19 hit and many universities and restaurants were forced to closed to prevent the spread of the disease, many of the farmers we work with saw sales plummet overnight.
At the same time, the numbers of people in need has soared. Some coalitions, like Durham FEAST, which coalesced to support kids attending Durham Public Schools, and Root Causes have been able to use the public’s outpouring of support to purchase fresh food directly, allowing Farmer Foodshare to provide an additional $200,000 in food to our community since March. But the food budgets of many other relief organizations have not kept pace with the need.
Fresh Food Funds bridge the gap.
Organizations like Fertile Ground Food Cooperative, TABLE, Wake County Human Services, A Place at the Table, Iglesia Emmanuel Food Pantry, Food Not Bombs, as well as schools, including Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Orange County Schools, and a variety of daycares are among the many partners extending their relief efforts using Fresh Food Funds. They report that families are absolutely loving the beautiful, fresh produce, with items like strawberries and blueberries, fresh greens, and local dairy giving them a lot to smile about.
Take Action
Read about our participation in Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s FarmsSHARE program and the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program – two other ways Farmer Foodshare is providing fresh food to individuals while supporting local farmers.