Created in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020, the Emergency Food Relief Fund was started as a joint venture between the Wayne County Commissioners and the Wayne County Community Foundation. It was designed to provide emergency food to people in need, but thanks to a strong community response, it quickly grew to outpace its original mission.
Over two years later, the fund has evolved into the Farm to Families Fund, a more sustainable, broader reaching collaboration between Wayne County’s Food Pantry program, community-minded nonprofits, local farmers, and the Wayne County Community Foundation.
Local farmers, as well as their national counterparts, sell their products wholesale or occasionally donate them to Wayne County nonprofits and the Food Pantry, utilizing the Community Foundation as the purchasing agent. The Pantry and nonprofits in turn provide the infrastructure necessary for quick distribution. This allows fresh, healthy, and local food to find its way into the hands of Wayne County residents quickly.
The Farm to Families Fund solidifies the link between local agriculture and emergency food assistance, connecting farmers and their products with the people who need them the most.
As we head into winter and the cost of food increases, consider supporting your community's food security by donating the Farm to Families Fund today.