Reporter’s Notebook: New nonprofit executives, and maybe some local government kumbaya - Saporta Report

/ Food Well Alliance/
Reporter’s Notebook: New nonprofit executives, and maybe some local government kumbaya - Saporta Report

The Food Well Alliance, a collaborative network of growers, community and city leaders seeking to build thriving community gardens and urban farms, named Kate Conner as its new executive director. Conner, who has served as the organization’s senior director of strategic development, stepped in as interim executive director in September after the departure of Kim Karris.

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Lessons of 2020 hone food groups’ focus, momentum - Atlanta Journal Constitution

/ Food Well Alliance/
Lessons of 2020 hone food groups’ focus, momentum - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Food Well Alliance also did its share to keep growers growing, and to provide that food where it was needed. In 2020, the 5-year old nonprofit delivered seedlings, bulk compost and labor support to dozens of community gardens; deployed nearly 1,500 hours of labor support to urban farms; facilitated the distribution of more than 330,000 pounds of excess food donated by metro area gardeners; and helped to activate idle school gardens to grow food for families in need.

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School gardens are feeding families - Atlanta Journal Constitution

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School gardens are feeding families - Atlanta Journal Constitution

When the pandemic turned idle school gardens into weeds, robbed urban growers of income streams, and created long lines at food banks, two Atlanta nonprofits joined forces to fight back. The response is Project Giving Gardens, where urban growers are being paid to turn 102 metro-area school gardens into a harvest of vegetables that is going back into the community to feed families.

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Small farmers quickly adapt to fill a need during pandemic - AJC

/ Levity Farm/
Small farmers quickly adapt to fill a need during pandemic - AJC

When restaurants closed, Levity Farms went from planning to provide 75% to 80% of their produce to chefs to spending one day a week traversing the metro area to deliver veggie boxes to private homes. “It is in the nature of farming to be resilient to changes in the market or changes in the climate,” said Ilana Richards as she made deliveries on a recent Tuesday. “It is one of our strengths in this industry if we are going to be good farmers or successful farmers.”

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Lawrenceville community garden ready to begin growing - AJC

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Lawrenceville community garden ready to begin growing - AJC

The Lawrenceville Community Garden is the first of the community garden initiatives that make up the Harvest Gwinnett program. The gardens and programs are managed by Live Healthy Gwinnett and made possible through partnerships with Lawrenceville, Food Well Alliance, Gwinnett Department of Community Services, UGA Extension Gwinnett, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office and other community organizations.

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Emergency fund set up to help Georgia’s urban and rural farmers - Saporta Report

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Emergency fund set up to help Georgia’s urban and rural farmers - Saporta Report

Local food organizations have created a coalition to help Georgia’s urban and rural farmers weather the COVID-19 pandemic. The organizations, – which include the Food Well Alliance and Georgia Organics, Community Farmers Markets, Wholesome Wave Georgia, Global Growers Network, the Common Market Southeast and Atlanta Farmers Coalition – have created the Farmer Fund COVID-19 Emergency Relief Campaign.

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Local Farmers Move Online To Stay In Business Amid Pandemic - GPB News

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Farmer Ashley Rodgers grows vegetables on her organic farm in Douglasville, but in her 11 years farming she has rarely seen such uncertainty as restaurants closed their doors and farmers markets shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Disruptions amid the coronavirus spread couldn’t have come at a worse time for her small farm, Rodgers Greens and Roots, Rodgers said. 

“This is the most difficult time of year for me financially,” Rodgers said. “It's like we're out of money from what we were able to sell, you know, during the winter, and I've spent a ton of money, maxed out my credit cards from a cash flow standpoint."

Now farmers across Georgia are forced to find new ways of operating during a pandemic. 

Read more at GPBnews.org.

Atlanta area farmers markets fight to stay open amid a COVID-19 crisis - AJC

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Atlanta area farmers markets fight to stay open amid a COVID-19 crisis - AJC

Across metro Atlanta, an early marker of spring is the opening of neighborhood farmers markets, their tables full of tender salad greens, eggs and fresh bread. But as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens, small local farmers who sell at those markets are racing to find ways to stay afloat if those markets do not open in the coming weeks.

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