There are many opportunities for relationship building with faith-based organizations. This guide will help farmers or farmers market coordinators decide if such a partnership is suitable for both parties and provide suggestions for collaboration.

Faith in Food: A Resource Guide for Farmershow to partner with faith-based organizations

Farmers markets are growing in popularity every year—and for good reason. Once established, they

become an indispensable part of the community, serving as a space where customers can find fresh

and healthy food while connecting with the people

behind the produce as well as their fellow community

members. Since farmers markets also serve as important

means of revenue-generation and marketing, strategic

partnerships between farmers and faith-based

organizations have emerged as an approach to creating

successful, sustainable farmers markets. Organizations

such as churches, mosques and synagogues frequently

act as community anchors and play important roles in

supporting the health and wellbeing of their congregations

and neighborhoods, making them great partners.

Location Planning• The congregation’s building is a neighborhood landmark, great for easy market location identification.

• Locate the market itself in a highly visible position (e.g. in front of the synagogue). Parking near the establishment can be facilitated for farmers and vendors.

Use of Space• Partners should consider opening the market during times of high foot traffic.

• Discuss what space and how much time can be allotted for the market, set-up and breakdown.

• Discuss access to storage, kitchens, restrooms or other facilities within the building.

• Leasing or other agreement terms should be settled after initial planning. Fees for locating the market near the congregation should be incorporated into any contract or memorandum of understanding, and payment terms should be clear and agreeable to all parties.

Additional ProgrammingWhen working with a house of worship, it is ideal to partner with one whose programming and mission dovetail with the operation of the farmers market. Examples of programming that can connect to the market include:

CASE STUDY: DEVEREUX UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND THE FOOD TRUST

Recognizing an opportunity for collaboration, Devereux United Methodist Church and The Food Trust, a non-profit organization based in Philadelphia, partnered to open a weekly farmers market in north Philadelphia at the intersection of 26th and Allegheny streets.

Open since July 2014, the farmers market has served as a critical point of access to fresh, healthy affordable food, accepting WIC FMNP, SNAP and Philly Food Bucks, The Food Trust’s SNAP-incentive program. This is especially important considering 41.5% of community residents are below the poverty line, and nearly 5,000 households receive SNAP assistance. It also offers market tours and cooking demonstrations that teach locals how to cook with seasonal produce available at market.

In addition to leasing space, the church provides storage space, restrooms and volunteers to help the market run smoothly. The success of this market lies in the relationships forged over time among church staff, congregants, farmers, The Food Trust staff and many regular shoppers from the community.

Shoppers enjoying summer bounty from the farmers market in front of Devereux United Methodist Church.

Copyright by The Food Trust 2016

This piece was produced by The Food Trust in partnership with Partners for Sacred Places.

@TheFoodTrust

• Operating the farmers market concurrently or consecutively with a regularly occurring event (e.g. weekly bible study).

• Partners could work together to supply any of the faith- based organization’s events, after-school snack programs or other gatherings.

• Partners could co-host a farmers market information session that discusses the congregation and other food- related programming or resources the organization offers.

Faith-Based Organization Member Engagement and Volunteer OpportunitiesFarmers markets can be a great opportunity to connect and engage with congregants, who in turn become regular shoppers, volunteers and champions of the market.

• Advertise the farmers market in the congregation’s list- serves, newsletters or social media.

• Congregants could be enlisted to volunteer at the market or help administer any programming, such as cooking demonstrations.