Following the June 3 Board meeting in Albany, Flint River Fresh officially launched their 2022 Capital Campaign, an annual organizational effort to engage local businesses in supporting the ongoing work of Flint River Fresh.
The campaign was launched with a special recognition from the Braves Foundation, naming Executive Director Fredando Jackson and Flint River Fresh a 2021 Community Heroes recipient and awarding a $5,000 donation to Flint River Fresh.
Lettuce planted at the 5th Ave Community Garden in Albany, Georgia.
McLendon Acres, Inc. and Flint Equipment Company soon followed suit, each committing an additional $5,000 in support of Flint River Fresh programming. An anonymous donor has also pledged $10,000 in support of Flint River Fresh.
After forgoing the 2021 Capital Campaign following the COVID-19 pandemic that severely impacted southwest Georgia and local businesses and economies, Flint River Fresh is thrilled to continue impact across Albany and southwest Georgia with the support of local businesses.
“Our community has done so much to support the work of Flint River Fresh, that in light of the COVID-19 pandemic 2020 was about making sure we could give back to our local community through our COVID response program,” says Marty McLendon, Chairman of Flint River Fresh.
Flint River Fresh pivoted programming in 2020 to serve first responders and our most vulnerable community members through a COVID-19 Fresh Box Program reaching over 1,000 local residents with meal and produce purchased directly from locally owned restaurant and farm businesses.
Flint River Fresh also leaned heavily on digital outreach during the pandemic, publishing 15 educational videos and reaching over 250 attendees at the virtual Sunbelt Field Day. And at the heart of Flint River Fresh work, team members continued to engage volunteers and students, donating over 1,000 pounds of fresh produce from community sites to hunger relief organizations.
The work of Flint River Fresh throughout the pandemic culminated in an outreach campaign to promote vaccination as a key component of community health throughout the hard-hit Albany area.
Flint River Fresh has not slowed down in 2021 as the community has begun to safely open back up. Expanding our team by two new members, Flint River Fresh has been able to formalize commitments to farm to school work within Dougherty County School systems as well as establish new community garden sites, such as the Holley Holmes Community Garden in partnership with Dougherty Fresh.
Flint River Fresh also broke ground on Starbuck Learning Farm site at the Georgia National Fair, which will reach thousands across the state and region with outreach and education on urban and at-home gardening practices.
“Now, we’re looking ahead to 2022 to expand our work with youth and increasing capacity within Dougherty County and beyond,” added McLendon. “The Capital Campaign will be critical to our continued success.”
If you are interested in supporting Flint River Fresh through the 2022 Capital Campaign, please reach out to info@flintriverfresh.org with more information.
Flint River Fresh is a 501(c)(3) organization that aims to make fresh, locally-grown produce accessible and affordable for people throughout the Flint River Region, while empowering community and youth through education and outreach opportunities. Visit www.flintriverfresh.org to learn more.