Round Up for Food Justice
Cooperative principle #7 is Concern for Community, and our cooperative community really came through in 2020! By rounding up your change at the register, we made a huge impact collectively!
As the pandemic continues to threaten the livelihoods of so many, we have a goal of raising even more Round Up funds in 2021--enabling our co-op community to have an even bigger impact!
Earstin Whitten picking up food from the Co-op for donation
Soulful Seeds
Through our 2020 Round Up program you donated over $11,000 to Soulful Seeds!
Founded by Earstin and Dee Schafer-Whitten, this organization is serious about feeding people and teaching folks to grown their own food. Through their Saint Mary's Garden, they donated thousands of pounds of food to individuals and local charities. They also secured land use agreements with the county to put a 2-acre mini farm on the NNAHMS Campus now known as Our Place. This farm will serve the vulnerable populations living there. Excess food from the Our Place mini farm will be donated to local pantries.
In addition to their core gardening work, they partnered with other local organizations (including Reno Food Systems--highlighted below) to create a Food Insecurity Coalition. The Coalition's purpose is to maximize the amount of food available and to improve distribution to those in need. They were also awarded a CARES grant through the city. Through the grant, they purchased and donated over $17,500 worth of deeply discounted food from your Co-op and other local producers. They also purchased and donated 150 InstaPots to individuals who do not have a traditional kitchen.
For more information or to donate go here: https://www.soulful-seeds.com/
Reno Food Systems
Reno Food Systems was approved by your board of directors to receive Round Up funds part way through the 2020 season. All totaled, you donated over $7,000 dollars to them!
Their mission is, "Cultivating community based food systems through education, research, and civic engagement." In 2020, your donations helped fund the pilot year of their Mobile Farmers Market Program, which aims to make fresh, healthy, locally grown food more accessible by bringing the farmer's market to communities and individuals with limited access to fresh produce. The program is designed to make it convenient and affordable. The mobile market accepts SNAP/EBT, WIC, and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons. In addition to the vegetables, herbs, and fruits grown on their 5-acre farm, they also distributed gleaned local fruit and offered recipe cards and simple crop preparation information to help customers prepare their produce.
In 2021, they plan to increase locations for their mobile market, offer the double bucks program to EBT customers, work with social service agencies to help inform EBT customers about the market, increase education and food prep demonstrations (as allowed by Covid restrictions), and offer more fruit.
For more information or to donate, go here: https://www.renofoodsystems.org
New Vegan Banana Walnut Muffin
Delicious House Made muffin lightly flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg...a new staff favorite! These tasty morsels are made with organic ingredients and are available in singles and
4-packs
Local Beef Burritos Are Back!
Local grass fed & finished beef from Avanzino Farms wrapped up with wholesome and organic burrito fixings. Available in our warmers daily!
New Greek Chicken Bowl
House Made garlic chicken with spinach, kalamata olives, cucumber, tomato, and red onion served over brown rice with a side of House Made Greek Dressing. Available in our grab & go case daily. Made with organic ingredients.
Local Organic Hemp
This gorgeous blossom is grown by Ray and Virginia Johnson of Custom Gardens. This flower is ready to be made into rolls, tinctures, and salves!
Custom Gardens was Nevada's first certified organic farm. They're also famous for the beautiful baby ginger and turmeric we get in the late fall.
Grow Up Farm Seedlings Available
One of our Annual Seedling Sale farmers, @growupfarm, has started their own pre-order seedling website and we wanted to help spread the word. PLEASE NOTE: This website is not connected with the Co-op's Annual Seedling Sale and the pick-ups and payment will be coordinated with Grow Up Farm. The Co-op's official Seedling Sale website will include all of the farmer's inventory and it will go live on April 1st. Grow Up Farm will list any of their seedlings on the co-op site that are still available at that time.
Grow Up Farm is a USDA certified organic farm. They are located 20 miles North of Reno, NV. They grow seedling starts for your herb, veggie, flower, and fruit gardens! Check out the Grow Up Farm seedling pre-order website here: http://www.growupfarmseedlings.com
Anyone can shop, everyone can join!
Open everyday from 7:30am – 9pm
Great Basin Community Food Co-op
240 Court St Reno, NV 89501
775.324.6133
info@greatbasinfood.coop
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