Ojai Community Farmers Market

IN 2021, THE OJAI COMMUNITY FARMERS' MARKET PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT FURTHERED OUR EXEMPT PURPOSE:1. OCFM ACCEPTED EBT/CALFRESH DOLLARS AND PROVIDED A MATCH OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE TOKENS OF UP TO $20 PER MARKET VISIT (WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE MARKET MATCH PROGRAM). OCFM PROVIDES OVER $400 MARKET MATCH DOLLARS AVERAGE EVERY WEEK TO VENTURA COUNTY RESIDENTS TO AID WITH NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE.2. OCFM PROVIDED ACCESS TO ORGANICALLY GROWN, NUTRIENT DENSE, HEALTHY FOOD GROWN AS CLOSE TO OUR VALLEY AS OUR BOARD COULD FIND.3. OCFM PROVIDED SEASONAL WORKSHOP SERIESES FOR ALL AGES ABOUT OUR FOOD SYSTEM, GROWING TECHNIQUES, NATURAL PLANT DYEING, LIVESTOCK CARE AND FOOD PREPARATION.4. OCFM PROVIDED A FREE AREA (THE "KIDS CORNER") FOR KIDS TO LEARN, PLAY, SOCIALIZE AND GROW WHILE PARENTS AND FAMILIES CAN SHOP FOR HEALTHY LOCAL FOOD AND SOCIALIZE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.5. OCFM PROVIDED A LOCATION FOR LOCAL FARMERS, SOME WITHIN JUST A FEW MILES OF TOWN, TO SELL THEIR VEGETABLES AND FRUITS. SO MANY LOCAL FARMERS MUST SELL THEIR GOODS TO OTHER STATES OR EVEN OTHER COUNTRIES IN ORDER TO MAKE A LIVING.6. OCFM PROVIDED FINANCIAL AND IN-KIND ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL FARMERS, FOOD ARTISANS AND MAKERS TO GROW THEIR BUSINESSES SO THAT THEY HAVE A LOCAL OUTLET FOR THEIR PRODUCTS AND ARE ABLE TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS LOCALLY WITHOUT LEAVING TOWN. THE IN-KIND SERVICES INCLUDED OVER 300 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME IN 2021, HELPING WITH PERMITTING (SUCH AS WRITING HACCP PLANS AND FILLING OUT TEMPORARY FOOD FACILITY PAPERWORK) AND LEGAL EXPERTISE FOR OUR VENDORS.7. OCFM HIRED AND PROMOTED LOCAL MUSICIANS WHO IN TURN SHARED THEIR GIFTS WITH OUR COMMUNITY, ALLOWING THEM TO BE HEARD AND GROW THEIR AUDIENCE FOR THE FUTURE.8. OCFM UTILIZED THE SPACE AT THE OJAI UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS AND PROVIDED A SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN ENTREPRENEURIAL, BUSINESS AND SOCIAL SKILLS, WHILE REMINDING PEOPLE OF THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.9. OCFM PROVIDED BICYCLE, TROLLEY AND BUS-RIDING INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO DECREASE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT HERE IN THE OJAI VALLEY- CUSTOMERS RECEIVE MARKET TOKENS WHEN THEY USE THESE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.10. ALL THIS WORK CONTRIBUTED TO BUILDING A RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM FOR THE OJAI VALLEY SO THAT IN TIMES OF DISASTER WE WILL NOT HAVE TO RELY ON THE GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN AND WILL BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AS A COMMUNITY.