Growing for Good
The Growing for Good program supports the stream of fresh produce from Seattle’s small farms to local food banks. The program establishes a CSA-type contracting model between the farm and the food bank. This model connects farmers and food banks through fully-funded contracts, offering crucial early-season income to local farms and an ongoing supply of fresh food to the food banks.
History
NFM began partnering with PCC Community Markets and Harvest Against Hunger in the summer of 2020, during a time when the uncertainty of the pandemic threatened the livelihood of Washington’s small farms and caused demand in local food banks to skyrocket. Growing for Good was initiated with an $80,000 donation from PCC to NFM, secured from PCC shoppers who “rounded up at the register.” In the first year of partnership, Growing for Good included fifteen food banks and fourteen farms across seven counties and was responsible for 28,000 pounds of fresh food. In the second year, 44,000. And in the third year, farms delivered nearly 60,000 pounds of fresh produce. While Growing for Good was intended to be a short-term response to COVID-19’s impacts on food security and the local farm economy, the partnership has successfully expanded and become more efficient in order to meet the need for food security in our region.
Participating Farms
AG Family Farm
Alvarez Farms
Calanes Produce
Cooperativa Tierra y Libertad
Frey Family Farm
Hayton Farms Berries
Kirsop Farm
Left Foot Farms
Mariposa Farm
Olsen Farms
Present Tense Farm
Quiet Land Farm
Regino Farm
Spring Time Farm
Tian Tian Farm
Viva Farms
Windy Acre Farm
Participating Hunger Relief Partners
Alimentando al Pueblo
Asian Counseling and Referral Services
Ballard Food Bank
Byrd Barr Place
Des Moines Area Food Bank
Edmonds Food Bank
FamilyWorks – Wallingford Food Bank
Highline Area Food Bank
Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank
Hopelink – Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland
Lifelong Health for All
Maltby Food Bank
North Helpline – Bitter Lake/Lake City Food Bank
Jewish Family Service – Polack Food Bank
Rainier Valley Food Bank
Renewal Food Bank
University District Food Bank
Vashon Food Bank
West Seattle Food BankWestgate Chapel Food Bank
White Center Food Bank
Support Growing for Good
Community members can contribute directly to the Growing for Good program. Your donation made through this link will support the purchase of fresh food.
“Having money up front and being able to pay it off in produce throughout the season makes such a difference. It costs us tens of thousands of dollars to get the fields ready before the season even starts and having money to pay our taxes, prune our crops, and buy fertilizer now is huge. It feels good that people are getting fed and farmers are being able to survive and pay their bills.”
– Manny Canales, Canales Produce
Growing for Good
2022 Report
Read about our third year contracting farms with food banks. Find out total impact, feedback from partners, and what to look forward to in 2023.
Press
PCC Community Markets
PCC is Seattle’s largest grocery co-op and is the funder. With strong existing relationships through their PCC Food Bank Program, PCC has played an active role in the partnership by communicating to local food banks.
Harvest Against Hunger
HAH is an organization that develops and shares innovative hunger relief solutions and plays a unique role with its Farm to Food Pantry Program. As an implementing partner, HAH is instrumental in providing the tools and knowledge of their preexisting Farm to Community programs to help shape and model the Growing for Good program.
Neighborhood Farmers Markets
NFM is an implementing partner of the program. Our strengths lie in our existing relationships and partnerships with local farmers who sell at our markets. NFM is able to use our relations with small farms to pair them with food banks that best serve their needs.