Dear Friends,

I am thrilled to introduce you to our new Executive Director, Kelly Crane.  Kelly comes to Farmer Foodshare with a diverse set of skills and experience involving  nonprofit executive leadership, small farming experience, food system development, and local food access programs.  She has worked all over the US, from West Virginia to Oregon, but is excited to return to her home state of North Carolina and dig into Farmer Foodshare’s field to fork food justice work.

I asked Kelly what she was most excited about with regard to Farmer Foodshare’s mission, and here is what she told me: “What I keep coming back to is my own time as a beginning farmer, and how difficult it was to get over the business growth barriers such as aggregation and distribution.  I wish I had access back then to an organization like Farmer Foodshare.  The way Farmer Foodshare helps grow new and beginning farm businesses is truly inspirational!  I am also deeply appreciative of the support they’ve received from the Triangle area community, and impressed by their commitment to making fresh, local food accessible to all of our neighbors, of all income levels.  I can’t wait to get started!”

To learn more about Kelly’s background, feel free to check out our Farmer Foodshare staff bio page.

One last thing – as Board Chair of Farmer Foodshare, I have a favor to ask you.  Can you help welcome Kelly to our community of supporters, farmers, and eaters?  We’ve set up this small message board, and we are inviting all of you to leave a quick note for Kelly, welcoming her, and letting her know what YOU find most inspirational about Farmer Foodshare’s work.

Thanks for helping us make our new ED feel at home here at FFS!

Gratefully,

Charla Burill, Board Chair
Farmer Foodshare