FONDY FOOD CENTER INC

FONDY INCREASES ACCESS TO HEALTHY, LOCAL FOOD AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACROSS GREATER MILWAUKEE BY OPERATING LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR; PROVIDING ACCESS TO LAND, RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO SMALL-SCALE FARMERS; AND BUILDING A BETTER FOOD SYSTEM TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY & FOOD JUSTICE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WAS CREATED IN 2000 ON MILWAUKEES NORTH SIDE AS A RESPONSE TO FOOD SECURITY & SYSTEM ASSESSMENTS THAT IDENTIFIED A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF HUNGER, POVERTY, AND DEPENDENCE ON EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRIES IN THE AREA - AND THE KEY ROLE THAT THE STRUGGLING FONDY FARMERS MARKET PLAYED. THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE STARTED THE MARKET IN 1917 AND MANAGED OPERATIONS UNTIL THE BUDGET WAS CUT IN THE 1980S. FARMERS STRUGGLED TO KEEP THE MARKET GOING UNTIL FONDY WAS CREATED WITH THE EXPLICIT MANDATE TO ENSURE THE SUPPLY OF FRESH, LOCALLY GROWN FOOD TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS MARKET IMPROVES PUBLIC HEALTH, STRENGTHENS THE LOCAL ECONOMY, PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT, AND SERVES AS A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE. OVER THE PAST DECADE, FONDY HAS GROWN FROM ONE FARMERS MARKET TO AN ORGANIZATION CREATING STRATEGIC FOOD SYSTEMS CHANGE WITH MULTI-SECTOR PARTNERS. FONDY NOW OPERATES TWO MARKETS -FONDY FARMERS MARKET AND MILWAUKEE WINTER FARMERS MARKET - THAT SUPPORTED OVER A HUNDRED VENDORS AND THOUSANDS OF SHOPPERS IN 2021. IN 2010, FONDY STARTED THE FONDY FARM PROJECT, WHICH SUPPORTS LOW-RESOURCE FARMERS WITH ACCESS TO THE LAND, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO OPERATE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS. AND IN 2015, IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE AGENCYS PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT, FONDY LAUNCHED THE MILWAUKEE FARMERS MARKET COALITION - A CITY-WIDE HEALTHY, LOCAL FOOD ACCESS INITIATIVE THAT CONNECTS MORE LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS TO MORE MILWAUKEE AREA FARMERS MARKETS. IN 2017 FONDY PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE TO BUILD A NEW ECO PARK AND COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE NEXT TO THE FONDY FARMERS MARKET.THE FONDY FARMERS MARKET (FFM): FFM IS MILWAUKEES LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE FARMERS MARKET AND THE SPRINGBOARD FOR THE AGENCYS HEALTHY FOOD EFFORTS. IT IS A NATIONAL LEADER IN CONNECTING WITH LOW- INCOME AND DIVERSE CONSUMERS, AND IS THE STATE LEADER IN FARMERS MARKET SNAP REDEMPTION AND NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. THE FFMS OPEN AIR MARKET CREATES SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY-SHOPPERS OF ALL AGES, ORGANIZATION REPRESENTATIVES, ARTISTS, AND PERFORMERS-TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND THE MORE THAN 40 PRODUCERS WHICH SELL AT THE MARKET FROM JUNE THROUGH NOVEMBER. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SHOPPERS VISIT THE MARKET EACH YEAR-PRIMARILY DRAWING FROM THE MILWAUKEES NORTH SIDE. THE MARKET HAS LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A KEY COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE AND THE NEW FONDY PARK GREATLY EXPANDS THAT ROLE. THE MILWAUKEE WINTER FARMERS MARKET (MWFM): THE MWFM IS THE PREMIER WINTER FARMERS MARKET IN THE REGION. ITS LONGTIME MISSION IS TO PROMOTE LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE; INCREASE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL FAMILY FARMS AND INNOVATIVE FOOD BUSINESSES; PROVIDE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO WHOLESOME FOOD; AND BUILD A VIBRANT GATHERING PLACE FOR METRO MILWAUKEE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. FONDY FOOD CENTER TOOK OVER STEWARDSHIP OF THIS MARKET IN THE FALL OF 2015.

THE FONDY FARM PROJECT (FFP): THE FFP WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2010, WHEN STAFF REALIZED THAT FONDY FARMERS MARKETS PRIMARILY LOW INCOME, HMONG AMERICAN FARMERS WERE DROPPING OUT OF FARMING DUE TO NUMEROUS CHALLENGES. THE FFP OFFERS AFFORDABLE, LONG-TERM LEASES ON QUALITY LAND PLUS THE AMENITIES NEEDED TO SUCCEED, SUCH AS IRRIGATION, GREENHOUSES, TRACTORS, AS WELL AS TECHNICAL TRAINING AND BUSINESS ASSISTANCE FROM THE FONDY FARM DIRECTOR. IN 2017, RESPONDING TO INCREASED DEMAND FOR FARMLAND, AND LAND CLOSER TO THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE WHERE MOST OF OUR FARMERS LIVE, FONDY MOVED ITS FARM TO THE MEQUON NATURE PRESERVE (MNP) AND INCREASED THE NUMBER OF FARMERS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT TO OVER 20. THE FFP IS ALSO ENGAGED IN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS TO EXPLORE LAND SOVEREIGNTY FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS, WITH A GOAL OF CONNECTING SMALL SCALE FARMERS TO LAND WHILE PRESERVING FARMLAND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND UTILIZING SUSTAINABLE FARMING TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY IN THE MILWAUKEE RIVER WATERSHED.