Wishing You a Nourishing New Year, from Foodwise
January 1, 2025
As we head into 2025 and reflect on another full year at Foodwise, we are so grateful for you, our beloved Bay Area food and farm community. For more than 31 years, Foodwise farmers markets have been a place of belonging and possibility in San Francisco—a shining example of what’s possible when we value and nurture each other and the planet.
Your support builds a strong Bay Area foodshed: one where small California farms and food businesses thrive, fresh food is at the center of everyone’s plate, and youth are empowered to be tomorrow’s food leaders. Let’s look back at what we accomplished together in 2024:
- We hosted 191 markets at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and Mission Community Market, supporting more than 140 local farms and food businesses and feeding thousands of Bay Area residents.
- We provided a platform for 37 BIPOC vendors at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market through our Building Equity program. Four businesses became permanent Foodwise vendors in 2024.
- We increased our Pop-Ups on the Plaza events to 6, featuring 45 Black food and craft entrepreneurs and directing thousands of dollars to their businesses.
- We provided fresh, healthy food access to low-income residents by distributing $139,080 in CalFresh EBT and $114,432 in Market Match nutrition assistance benefits at Foodwise farmers markets.
- We also advocated in coalition with other California market operators and rallied our market community to save Market Match and the California Nutrition Incentive Program, protecting critical food access funding in the state budget.
- Through our Foodwise Kids program, we hosted 93 field trips at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, where 1,808 SFUSD elementary school students and 370 adult chaperones explored the market, enjoyed fresh fruits and veggies, and learned about healthy, seasonal food.
- Through our Foodwise Teens paid youth development program, 98 SFUSD high school students learned about food justice and developed important life and job skills. 16 of them deepened their job experience through our summer fellowship program, and 6 program graduates were hired by our farmers.
- We hosted 34 public cooking demos reaching about 1,384 attendees at the Foodwise Classroom. Instructors included 22 BIPOC chefs such as Azikiwee Anderson, Reem Assil, Rahanna Bisseret Martinez, Sara Calvosa Olson, Karla Tatiana Vasquez, and David Yoshimura. Watch their demos and find their recipes online.
- We hosted 10 education stations to engage kids and families at the farmers market.
- We explored urban placemaking at Foodwise Talks, including Reimagining San Francisco Green Spaces and Can Small Food Businesses Spark San Francisco’s Revitalization?
- Last but not least, 214 volunteers and interns gave more than 3,372 hours supporting Foodwise’s programs!
As we begin 2025, small California farmers and our Bay Area community face real challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, and food insecurity. Through it all, we continue to show up for one another, committed to advancing solutions. Because, like you, we believe that we have the most power when we act locally. With your continued support, we are making our communities more connected and resilient, strengthening our local economy, and creating a brighter food future together.
Whether you donate to Foodwise to support small farms and food access, volunteer with our education programs, or shop regularly at our farmers markets, you make this work possible. Thank you for your partnership and care in creating the sustainable and equitable food system we need.
We wish you a nourishing New Year, filled with fresh and delicious farmers market food, and we look forward to working together in 2025!
In gratitude,
Your friends at Foodwise
P.S. Want to help us keep this good work going in 2025? Donate now or sign up for our next volunteer orientation on January 22, 2025.