For Release Time: January 8, 2022 or later
Date: January 8, 2021
Forsyth Farmers’ Market Announces $150,000 Capital Campaign to Purchase New Farm Truck.
Savannah, GA – January 8, 2022 – At the January 8th farmer’s market in Forsyth Park, Forsyth Farmers’ Market, Inc (FFM), announced a Capital Campaign to raise $150,000 to purchase a new Farm Truck. The new truck, the centerpiece of Forsyth Farmers’ Market Farm Truck 912 program, will be used to carry fresh, local, produce to Chatham County’s food insecure neighborhoods.
The current truck is 24 years old and has become unreliable. Forsyth Farmers’ Market is working to raise $150,000 by July 2022. A new truck will provide FFM with new opportunities and be able to expand their operations to reach more food insecure neighborhoods and citizens.
Over the years, the Farm Truck 912 has grown to have 12 stops throughout the Savannah communities. In 2021, Farm Truck 912 purchased more than $50,000 worth of produce and products from local farmers, all of which are vendors at the FFM Saturday market. Furthermore, Farm Truck 912 was able to provide $32,000 local produce at half off to food insecure neighborhoods around Savannah. Farm Truck 912 also provided more than 2,200 people with nutrition education that included food demonstrations, recipes, and tastings.
Thanks to several donors, Forsyth Farmers’ Market has a nice jumpstart on the campaign and has currently raised $94,000 of the $150,000 goal for a new truck. Some of the early donors consist of the Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation, FFM Board members and community activists.
Forsyth Farmers’ Market is asking all members of the community to join them in supporting this effort to purchase a new truck. You can donate in person at every Saturday market or at any Farm Truck 912 stops, online, or by mailing a check to:
Forsyth Farmers Market
PO Box 5012
Savannah, GA 31414
In the memo, put capital campaign
To donate online to this campaign, please go to https://forsythfarmersmarket.com/capitalcampaign
There will be two other ways the public can participate in the building of the new truck. One is a truck design contest. This community contest is open to the public. To participate in this contest, individuals must register by February 1. The final design submissions will be due no later than March 1. The FFM committee will vote on the best design and announce the winner publicly. The winner will be awarded $1,500. This contest is free to enter. For more information on the contest, please visit https://forsythfarmersmarket.com/designcontest
Forsyth Farmers’ Market is hosting a community contest to determine the name of the new truck. The current truck is named Juicy and Forsyth Farmers’ Market would like the new truck to have a fun, unique family friendly name as well. This contest requires a $5 donation per name submission and the winner will receive $50 worth of market tokens. The contest is open until March 31 and will be voted on by the committee. For more information on the naming contest or to submit a name, please visit https://forsythfarmersmarket.com/namecontest
Forsyth Farmers’ Market executive director, Jeb Bush commented, “Forsyth Farmers’ Market is excited to get the new truck and all the future opportunities it will provide. We are thrilled to have the community join us in this journey as well.”
Forsyth Farmers’ Market board vice-chair, and chair of the capital campaign, Louis Brody added, “Farm Truck 912 has proven over the past seven years to be an effective way of fighting food insecurity in our community. A new truck will allow us to be more reliable and more effective.”
For more information, press only:
PR Contact Name: Jeb Bush
Phone number: 803-942-5119
Email: jeb@ffm-sav.org
About Forsyth Farmers’ Market Inc.
The Forsyth Farmers Market, Inc. was established in 2009 to promote an understanding and participation in a local food system that supports sustainable production and increases access to local products. We envision a just and equitable food system that has an interest in producing food for the health of citizens and the environment. For more information, please visit forsythfarmersmarket.com
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