Farm Stands Wraps Up Season in November Thanks to Generous Donors

The Field to Family Farm Stands program has finished for 2020, after extending its season through November for the first time thanks to generous donations from Online Farmers Market customers.

The program provides free produce, food samples and educational information to community members in Johnson County.  Each month, the program visits  9-12 residential locations that have high poverty rates, low rates of personal transportation and are usually more than a half mile away from a grocery store.

From June through November, our Farm Stands program distributed 6,600 pounds of fresh, local produce to 859 households at 12 locations. The program reached 12 more households than in 2019, and distributed nearly twice as much food by weight. About 52% of the food distributed was donated in-kind by partner food access agencies, while 48% was purchased directly from local farmers.

In November alone, the program distributed 1,033 of food to 126 households, a direct impact of our donors’ generosity.

Online Farmers Market shoppers have the option to “purchase” a $25 donation of fresh produce with their order. Customers donated over $15,000 to the program this season through the market. In addition to extending the 2020 season, Field to Family hopes to use these contributions to get an early start next spring and further bolster the 2021 program. 

“We are constantly amazed by the incredible people who not only prioritize purchasing local food for their own households, but donate to provide access to others in the community as well,” said Field to Family director Michelle Kenyon. “By making these donations, our customers are helping create a better food system for all.” 

We want to thank every person who has donated to this program for their contribution in pushing our community toward a more secure food system for households and farmers alike. Many of our donors have contributed more than once, with two incredible individuals donating more than 25 times. We want to recognize those who have contributed over $100 below. 

If you are interested in making a donation with your next Online Farmers Market purchase, please look for “Donation of Fresh Produce” from vendor Field to Family.