C. Oregon Locavore makes plea for funds to keep doors open

Central Oregon Locavore said Sunday evening it needs to raise $25,000 this summer in order to keep its doors open and its programs operating.

In a news release, Assistant Director Megan French sasid the organization “supports our local farmers and ranchers, while teaching our community about local and healthy food. Our marketplace provides a venue for local producers to sell a variety of products including vegetables, eggs, meat, and value-added products.”

Here’s the rest of their release:

We will be closing our doors by end of the summer, if we do not get financial support from our community. Locavore needs to raise $25,000 this summer to recoup costs and keep the marketplace doors open.

Central Oregon Locavore is in a serious financial crisis due to a combination of unexpected costs associated with our recent move in 2016 and the extremely rough winter. This has been too much of a burden for our nonprofit to recoup. Locavore has attempted to find corporate sponsors, grants, and host many events; but we’ve been unable to make up the difference.

Currently, we sell products of over 200 Central Oregon, Oregon, and Pacific Northwest farmers, ranchers, producers, and artisans. If the Locavore Marketplace closes, year-round access to locally- and sustainably- grown products will be severely reduced for Central Oregonians.

Our programs will also be impacted: WWOLF (Willing Workers on Local Farms) organizes volunteers to help farmers and ranchers. This year alone, we saved farmers nearly $5,000 in labor costs. This spring, the Farm Kids program taught over 700 elementary children about farm-related, hands-on science. Meet Your Farmer dinners are held nine times yearly. Central Oregon Edible Adventure Crew organizes direct farm experiences for picking and harvesting. These are just a sampling of the programs offered.

Since its formation in 2009, Central Oregon Locavore has been a non-profit that promotes local food and farms for the health of our community. We work for an ecologically stable and socially just food system in Central Oregon by improving access to fresh, nutrient-dense local food, educating the community about the benefits of sustainably produced food and supporting farmers and ranchers.

Because we are non-profit, donations drive us. We need community support to survive. Tax-deductible donations to Locavore support local agriculture, local environment, local education, local families and the local economy.

Please help by contributing at our GoFundMe page w ww.gofundme.com/locavore. The farmers, ranchers, growers, producers, and local food education of Central Oregon depend on you!