September 24, 7pm on Zoom
Hi, friends. We are working with Jarred White at the Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI, see below) to form a community-supported agriculture (CSA) group between black farmers and Raleigh/Wake County churches.
The idea is for 10 to 12 churches (likely it would be individuals within the church) to commit to buying $100/month of produce. This would give the farmer a solid $12,000 income per year from the group.
So far 12 Wake County churches have expressed interest!!
There is an information session about the CSA at 7 PM on Sept 24 on Zoom. If you would like to come, let Gary or Lacey know, and we will send you the Zoom info. If you have friends from other churches who might be interested, invite them to come, too.
There are more details below.
Blessings.
Gary Smith and Pastor Lacey Brown
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Jarred White Program Coordinator Rural Faith Community Organizing Initiative |
Jarrad White describes his vision in this way:
Farmers of color in the United States continue to endure systemic racism within the food system that causes significant and consistent social, economic, and political harm. RAFI is in a unique position to address this problem, given our established relationships and connections: our Farmers of Color Network has developed a holistic economic and cultural ecosystem that values farmers of color in regional food systems. Additionally, RAFI’s Come to the Table program already engages with faith communities to increase food security, address poverty, and strengthen justice in our food system.
RAFI's Farm-to-Church Project will address these problems by connecting farmers of color with local congregations throughout North Carolina to create economically-equitable, mutually-beneficial and sustainable food-based partnerships: farmers are able to create an additional source of income, access new local market(s), and create mutually-beneficial economic partnerships with faith communities that are then able to increase the food security and access of their congregants through improved access to fresh, healthy foods and providing hunger relief for consistently vulnerable populations.
Practically, the primary way that RAFI will connect farmers and churches is through county-based CSA partnerships. In partnership with local clergy, RAFI staff will conduct a virtual Forum that includes 8-12 clergy and lay leadership representing congregations located in the same county. Each congregation will commit to a specific purchasing amount over the course of the year, with RAFI staff coordinating the selection of a local farmer of color with the appropriate food offerings, contract creation, food pick-up and drop-off logistics, farmer payment, and other continued communication(s).