CUESA Wishes You a Healthy, Happy, and Hopeful New Year
December 31, 2021
On this New Year’s Eve, we are so grateful for you, our farmers market community and friends! We could not ask for better allies as we work together to grow thriving communities through the power and joy of local food.
You have shown up for our farmers and neighbors in so many ways, and you continue to prove the power of community working together to build a resilient, connected, and regenerative food system that nourishes all. Look at what we have accomplished together in 2021:
- At the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and Mission Community Market, we hosted 153 markets, supporting more than 130 local farms and food businesses and providing fresh, local food access for thousands of Bay Area residents.
- We distributed more than $156,000 in CalFresh and Market Match nutrition assistance benefits for low-income families. We increased our Market Match (which doubles CalFresh benefits) from $10 to $15 to help families stretch their fresh food dollars even further, while supporting small family farms directly.
- Through our Foodwise Kids program, 2,200 elementary school students learned about healthy, seasonal food, and we piloted new ways to engage students virtually and in their classrooms. Working with 28 SFUSD public schools and 5 community organizations, we hosted 33 field trips at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, 5 off-site classes, 11 classroom cooking lessons, and 70 virtual classes.
- More than 85 SFUSD high school students took part in our Foodwise Teens program, learning about gardening, cooking, and food justice and gaining valuable job skills. Eleven students deepened their job experience through our summer fellowship program, and four Foodwise Teens graduates now have jobs in the farmers market.
- Through our Feed Hospitality program, we distributed 1,647 free produce boxes to unemployed restaurant and bar workers and their families, and directed $57,645 to local farmers.
- We directed $34,215 to small family farmers and food makers through the CUESA Farmers Market Box, and launched the new Ferry Plaza Farmers Market Delivered home delivery program.
- 200 volunteers and interns gave more than 3,100 hours supporting CUESA’s programs.
We cannot do this work with you! Whether you donate to our food access and education programs, volunteer your time, or support our farmers and food makers at the farmers market, you are helping create an equitable and sustainable food future for all. With your contributions, we’re less than $7,000 from our year-end goal of $50,000 to continue this work in the New Year. Help get us to the finish line with a donation today.
Thank you for your vision, partnership, and participation! We have exciting things on the horizon in 2022, and we look forward to celebrating with you and deepening our work together. From the entire CUESA team, we wish you a happy, healthy, and nourishing New Year, filled with delicious farmers market food.
In gratitude,
Your friends at CUESA
Top row: Vance, Tommy, Deven, Jameil. Middle row: Amy, Cindy, Andrea, Lulu, Tiffany. Bottom row: Brie, Damaris, Christine, Rebecca. Not pictured: Ashley, Christian, Mark, Selina. Photo by Christopher Che.
Topics: Programs