Our co-op community
This article was originally published in July 2020
PCC has strong Pacific Northwest roots. We have been giving to our community for decades—supporting neighborhoods, ensuring a sustainable and accessible food system and protecting the environment. Read on to learn about some of the latest projects we’ve assisted and connect with us online so we can support your efforts to build a more healthy and sustainable community.
Grants support farms and local food
Our region is rich in all different types of resources, from harvested crops to community support. In recent months we’ve seen a wealth of new ways to use those resources to meet unexpected challenges. At PCC, our Community Grant Program builds on such collaborations. We fund programs and projects that strengthen our community and protect the environment. This quarter, we provided grants to two organizations that address many crucial issues—environmental and food justice, cultural inclusivity and nutrition access.
The face of Seattle’s urban farming
PCC is honored to present a $4,000 grant to EarthCorps and to the Black Farmers Collective to support Yes Farm, a thriving urban farm in Yesler Terrace.
The Black Farmers Collective was formed by a group of urban food system professionals who envisioned a community gathering space where people grow healthy food together. The Collective’s goal is to raise the visibility of people of color in the urban farm movement, to create pathways for new leaders of color, and to take charge of developing sustainable and local sources of food for the community.
The Collective’s first major initiative was the founding of YES Farm on about 2 acres of land in the Yesler Terrace area of Seattle. The farm aims to engage young people in farming and nature, connect with the Yesler community, and generate economic prosperity for Black farmers in Seattle. EarthCorps, a partner in the project, is supporting the hiring of the first part-time outreach coordinator for the farm through its Corps program. PCC’s grant will support the creation of this new position at Yes Farm.
Organic CSA for underserved community
PCC is pleased to present a $4,000 grant to Viva Farms to expand its CSA program in underserved communities.
Viva Farms is a nonprofit farm business incubator and training program (see related story) in Skagit and King counties. Since 2009 it has empowered aspiring farmers with limited resources by providing bilingual training in holistic certified organic farming practices, as well as access to land, infrastructure, equipment, marketing and capital.
Viva Farms is currently engaged in a pilot project to expand the fresh produce Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes distributed by its beginning farmers. This CSA, currently operating in Skagit County and King County, serves people who quality for SNAP-EBT, formerly known as food stamps. It is supported in part by a U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive “Farms to Families” grant, which pays half the cost of each CSA for those who qualify for using SNAP-EBT.
PCC’s Community Grant funds will support the expansion of the CSA program further into King County. South Park, which has limited access to fresh and healthy food, will be the first in the county to be served by the program. The neighborhood will gain access to low-cost, healthy local food while Viva’s producers gain access to a sales market. This builds on Viva’s desire to create an equitable, accessible and inclusive regional food system.