This year has been extra tough for many of us, and particularly for folks who work in food. Between the pandemic and wildfires, there have been some big shocks and crushing challenges. We have lost people and places we care deeply about. We have seen friends struggle to find solid ground.
In times like these, how we care for each other matters more than ever. And so, instead of fundraising for our organization this winter, Real Food Real Stories is launching a Resilience Fund. This fund will provide financial assistance to people who have previously shared their story with the RFRS community, whose business, home, or livelihood has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic or 2020 wildfires.
At Real Food Real Stories, we talk a lot about a thriving food community. What does that look like in practice? Wild ecosystems teach us that we thrive together: he different elements of an ecosystem complement each other to create a dynamic whole. Human relationships are like that, too. Appreciation, generosity, and reciprocity are all essential for a thriving community.
We are grateful for the food changemakers who are putting in the work and taking the risks to continue to feed our communities. They’re bringing produce to markets to fill our refrigerators, crafting everything from empanadas to fried chicken for takeout, and creating innovative responses to food insecurity. Now we’d like to invite our extended community to meet them in reciprocity.
Resilience is community in motion, in actions big and small.
Be a part of this change and give back to the food changemakers who have inspired us, nourished us, and continue to lead us forward.
The way we respond to big challenges together can help us grow the world we want. Actively practicing reciprocity with people who are building the food solutions we need is one way we can each be a part of the shift from the current impersonal and extractive food economy to a regenerative, caring economy.
Will you join us in supporting our local food changemakers for a more just and resilient future?