About Farmer Foodshare
Who:
- Farmer Foodshare is a nonprofit organization that raises funds and donations of fresh food for those at risk for hunger or malnutrition, while building healthy community food systems and enhancing community economic development. We simply connect people who grow food with people who need food — and we try to do it in ways that are financially sustainable for everyone.
- Since mid-2009 Farmer Foodshare Donation Stations have collected over 110,000 pounds of top quality food from eleven different farmers’ markets and brought it to organizations that serve the hungry and malnourished in over six NC counties. We are now working with farmers and other community organizations to build innovative systems that will provide a consistent supply of food at the right price to agencies and indviduals who need it.
- Farmer Foodshare is recognized as a 501(c)(3) public charity by the IRS and is listed in GuideStar.
Why:
- NC ranks in the top ten states for food insecurity in the nation.
- 1 in 5 children do not have adequate food to meet their daily needs.
- Everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy, local food.
- Farmers deserve a fair price for their hard work.
- A healthy community food system must include all members of society.
- Healthy food systems result in healthy air, land and water.
Farmer Foodshare Programs:
- Donation Stations collect fresh food and funds to buy food at farmers’ markets.
- Farm to Community Afterschool provides healthy food to organizations that teach cooking, canning and food buying skills to food-insecure children.
- POP starts social enterprise projects to increase the affordability and accessibility of fresh and value-added local food products in economically distressed communities. The first POP project is the POP Food Market, an alternative farmers’ market connecting food insecure community members with excess local food. The POP Food Market works with a range of farm sizes, from very small scale to much larger to provide food to agencies and community organizations that increase access to food for individuals in need.
- Farmer Foodshare Fund brings a range of investors to build healthy community food systems and spur community economic development, particularly in economically distressed areas.
How You Can Help:
- Donate money at a Donation Station to buy produce directly from local farmers.
- Volunteer with us at our donation stations, POP Market or other programs.
- Invest in the Farmer Foodshare Fund and collaborate with us as a partner.
We believe that everyone deserves access to fresh food, and that fighting hunger and building healthy, socially just and economically viable community food systems go hand in hand.
LEARN MORE:
Volunteer Orientation Presentation:
Video of the program at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market: