All you wanted to know about Sonoma County’s food-related nonprofits.
Community Garden Network of Sonoma County
INFO: communitygardensonoma.org
CONTACT: 707.623.0239, autumn@communitygardensonoma.org
FOUNDED: 2012
ACCEPTS DONATIONS? Yes.
NEEDS VOLUNTEERS? Yes.
ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET: $55,000
PRIMARY CLIENTS SERVED: All existing and potential community gardens in Sonoma County; special focus on neighborhoods with significant food access, organizational, financial or political challenges, or large number of lower income or Spanish-speaking households.
If your organization could accomplish just one thing in 2014, what would that be?
Strong community garden leaders emerging from our Leadership Skills Building courses who are helping improve their gardens as well as developing relationships with regional community gardens and others in their neighborhood.
What trend or action have you seen in the past year within your field of work that is the most encouraging for your mission?
Tremendous interest in new garden creation; lots of people looking for plots – see our online directory: communitygardensonoma.org
What other food-related Sonoma County nonprofits do you most admire and why?
Ceres Community Project. It is attracting people of all ages and backgrounds around the common bond of caring for each other and the earth.
Daily Acts
INFO: dailyacts.org
CONTACT: 707.789.9664
FOUNDED: 2002
ACCEPTS DONATIONS? Yes
NEED VOLUNTEERS? Yes
ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET: $430,000
PRIMARY CLIENTS SERVED: Engaged citizens, students and leaders working to reclaim our future and the health of our communities and environment.
If your organization could accomplish just one thing in 2014, what would that be?
The greatest thing we can accomplish is to further catalyze a critical mass of action by educating 7,000 change makers in 2014 and inspiring thousands of actions through the 350 Hame and Garden Challenge next May to help people grow food, save water, conserve energy, and build community. By focusing on simple solutions that build local self-reliance, we reconnect people to their power, to community, and to nature.
What trend or action have you seen in the past year within your field of work that is the most encouraging for your mission?
The explosion of interest and collaborative action by citizens, nonprofits, schools, churches, health centers, businesses, and cities in regards to growing food, sheet mulching lawns, recycling greywater and participating in efforts like the 350 Home and Garden Challenge. Just this year, we registered over 3,500 local actions and hundreds of projects for the 350 Challenge, with thousands more regionally and nationally through groups replicating this program.
What other food-related Sonoma County nonprofits do you most admire and why?
The Ceres Project. Cathryn Couch and her stellar team and supporters have been blowing me away with how much they have achieved in the short 7 years since they started. They are a heart-centered, highly effective, and deeply inspiring organization which empowers youth to serve nutritious, healing foods to people faced with serious illness. Additionally, Cathryn comes from a very collaborative and open place, helping to support and strengthen the community of leaders around her, including us.
Petaluma Bounty
INFO: petalumabounty.org
CONTACT: 707.364.9118
FOUNDED: 2006
ACCEPTS DONATIONS? Yes
NEED VOLUNTEERS? Yes
ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET: $160,000
PRIMARY CLIENTS SERVED: Low income children, families, and seniors.
If your organization could accomplish just one thing in 2014, what would that be?
Funding and hiring a bilingual educator/facilitator. This would allow us to expand and formalize educational initiatives at Bounty, including 1) a field trip program to the Bounty Farm, 2) engage families receiving our services to take an active role in our gleaning program, and 3) broaden the curriculum offered for our youth job and leadership training on the farm.
What trend or action have you seen in the past year within your field of work that is the most encouraging for your mission?
The increased awareness of the amount of food waste in our food system. Thanks to the work of CropMobster and our partner gleaning organizations, there is a resurgence of interest and action to prevent food waste. For Petaluma Bounty, more volunteers = less food wasted and improved community access to healthy food!
What other food-related Sonoma County nonprofits do you most admire and why?
Sonoma County Food System Alliance. They bring together stakeholders from all parts of the food system – farmers, ranchers, food producers, processors, consumers, educators, food justice advocates – to facilitate conversation and help members to see overlapping interests. In order to have a thriving local food system (and local economy), we need buy in and collaboration from groups that may not have worked together in the past. Sonoma County Food System Alliance (supported by Ag. Innovations Networks) is making progress on a county level.
Worth Our Weight
INFO: worthourweight.org
CONTACT: 707.544.1200, info@worthourweight.org
FOUNDED: 2006
ACCEPTS DONATIONS? Yes
NEED VOLUNTEERS? Yes
ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET: N/A
PRIMARY CLIENTS SERVED: At risk youth.
If your organization could accomplish just one thing in 2014, what would that be?
The most important thing for Worth Our Weight in 2014 is opening the second location of Worth Our Weight, which will serve our apprentices who have graduated. It will provide them with a job while still allowing them to be an integral part of the Worth Our Weight team.
What trend or action have you seen in the past year within your field of work that is the most encouraging for your mission?
One trend that is very encouraging to our mission is the farm to table resurgence. As a chef, it’s been shocking to witness the decline of young people’s knowledge of the sources of their food. How refreshing to see kindergarteners raving about fennel and fava beans from their gardens. The Worth Our Weight youth are harvesting the last of the season’s tomatoes and basil.
What other food-related Sonoma County nonprofits do you most admire and why?
I am in awe of the work of The Redwood Gospel Mission. I walk early mornings along the Prince Memorial Greenway and I am brought to tears by the presence of people, young and older, sleeping along the creek. I see them rise, wash, pull it together, and walk down to Redwood Gospel Mission for a meal.
Ceres Community Project
INFO: ceresproject.com
CONTACT: 707.829.5833, info@ceresproject.org
FOUNDED: 2007
ACCEPTS DONATIONS? Yes
NEED VOLUNTEERS? Yes
ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET: $1,300,000
PRIMARY CLIENTS SERVED: Sonoma County residents facing health crises, where high-quality meals can support the healing process.
If your organization could accomplish just one thing in 2014, what would that be?
Deliver 70,000 free, organic, nourishing meals – all of them prepared by our 300 volunteer teen chefs – to client families in Sonoma County who are dealing with health crises. Thanks to our innovative model, each of those meals gives teens an opportunity to learn about growing, cooking, and eating fresh, whole foods, and engages and educates hundreds of adult volunteers, businesses, and donors to create a healthier, stronger community for us all.
What trend or action have you seen in the past year within your field of work that is the most encouraging for your mission?
We are most excited about the growing focus on collaborative working groups. Initiatives like Cradle to Career, the Youth Network, and the Food Action Plan are bringing together nonprofits, businesses, and local government to create long-term, sustainable solutions that will help create a healthier and more connected community for generations to come.
What other food-related Sonoma County nonprofits do you most admire and why?
There are so many tremendously important food-related nonprofits in Sonoma County, but our vote goes to Redwood Empire Food Bank. Not only are they ensuring that 78,000 people each year have enough food to eat but they are deeply committed to the quality of that food – with a real emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. And, the addition of their new Value Market is increasing access to healthy and affordable food for many in our county.
Sonoma County Farm Trails
INFO: farmtrails.org, gravensteinapplefair.com
CONTACT: 707.837.8896, farmtrails@farmtrails.org
FOUNDED: 1973
ACCEPTS DONATIONS? Yes
NEED VOLUNTEERS? Yes
ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET: N/A
PRIMARY CLIENTS SERVED: Our website and annual Map & Guide serve as marketing exposure for farmers/producers, a tool for Chambers & Visitor Centers, and a resource for the general public looking to source food locally and to connect with agriculture in Sonoma County. The Gravenstein Apple Fair cultivates community, supports local vendors, producers and talent, and provides a family-friendly celebration of rural heritage.
If your organization could accomplish just one thing in 2014, what would that be?
Our aim this year is to produce another successful Gravenstein Apple Fair that further integrates the mission of Farm Trails and helps to stabilize the organization, while providing an enriching community experience.
What trend or action have you seen in the past year within your field of work that is the most encouraging for your mission?
The trend to eat locally grown food and to create personal connections between consumers and farmers gets stronger and more hopeful every day.
What other food-related Sonoma County nonprofits do you most admire and why?
We are most inspired by the energy, momentum, and vibrancy of the Heirloom Exposition. We appreciate the visibility and enthusiasm they’ve generated on behalf of agricultural diversity, seed sovereignty, and of course, heirlooms.