One of the perks of my job here at Farm Aid is that I get to say thanks a lot. Every day, hardworking people across the country generously support family farmers through donations of all sizes, as well as through the actions they take by purchasing good food from the farmers that grow it.
Around our annual festival each year, ticket buyers support Farm Aid through the sale of every seat from the back of the lawn to the very front row, as well as through their purchase of merchandise or the incredible HOMEGROWN Concessions® offered. Artists, production crew, sponsors and volunteers all give of their valuable time and incredible talent. And then there are the farmers, advocates and activists around the country that we work tirelessly with to build a better agricultural system. The list is long and the dedication of so many Farm Aid supporters continues day after day, year after year.
I count myself pretty lucky to get to celebrate the best parts of Thanksgiving – great food from family farmers and the goodness of people – as part of my job every day. Offering thanks to our supporters on behalf of all of us who work to keep family farmers on the land to grow the good food we need and to protect the soil and water in our communities is a pretty easy task.
In this season of thankfulness, we all look for ways to show our appreciation for the things we value most and one of the ways we do this is by sharing good food with people that we love. We hope you might consider celebrating these gifts by making a donation to Farm Aid to support our mission to keep farmers on the land and our communities strong.
Although Thanksgiving is a perfect day to take some time to do that, there are lots of opportunities to do so, and Giving Tuesday is another one you may have heard of. This year, it’s on Tuesday, December 3 – right on the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Our Goal on #GivingTuesday
We’re asking you to join us this #GivingTuesday, because we need your support to continue to strengthen family farmers and build the movement for family farm food.
We have an ambitious goal to raise at least $20,000 on December 3, and we can only reach that with your help. Let’s show family farmers how much we appreciate the hard work they do to provide us with good food and take care of our soil and water.
A group of generous Farm Aid donors have pledged to match a portion of donations we receive on #GivingTuesday.
When you make a donation to support family farmers, your gift will have double the impact thanks to some incredible donors who are kick-starting Farm Aid’s #GivingTuesday campaign: Yan Besner, Tony Morelli and Randy Poe.
We asked them if they’d share a few words about why they support Farm Aid and this is what they had to say:
“In 2013, the music, the artists, and the wonderful HOMEGROWN® food brought me to Farm Aid in Saratoga Springs, NY, for a festival unlike any other I had ever seen. The warmth, the love, and the happiness were palpable and infectious. What also became abundantly clear to me was that it was an unavoidable catalyst for me to do more. Supporting Farm Aid through donations and as a volunteer is not just about helping those who grow good food for our tables, it’s about helping ourselves, our families and our communities to live in a healthy world.
On this Giving Tuesday, I’m asking you to join me in supporting Farm Aid to promote a vibrant food system and the family farmers who provide us nothing but the best. Thank you.”
– Yan Besner
“I am proud to be able to contribute to Farm Aid on Giving Tuesday. Thanksgiving is a time to share a meal and connect with loved ones and I can’t think of a better time to help Farm Aid in its mission to support the family farmers and growers that feed the nation and supply good and healthful food to our communities.”
– Tony Morelli
“I have been a fan and supporter of this organization since watching the very first Farm Aid concert on TV in 1985. My grandfather was a farmer in Alabama. Many friends I grew up with in the South had family farms. My childhood memories include spending days on those family farms, helping to milk the cows and collect the eggs. I remember how tomatoes used to taste when they were still grown without large amounts of fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides. I remember drinking milk when there was still cream at the top of the glass.
Change for the better is always good, but not all change is for the better. Changing the American food system based primarily on yield and corporate greed is one of the greatest disservices being done to the American people.
We still have a long way to go, but I have hope that the day will come when those who have never had the chance will finally be able to experience what tomatoes, corn, squash, chicken, beef, pork, and milk are supposed to taste like. Corporate farms can’t provide those things. Those things can only come from American family farmers. How could anyone not want to become involved in an organization like Farm Aid?”
– Randy Poe
Make A Difference
Please join us this #GivingTuesday on December 3, to make a difference in the lives of family farmers – and everyone who eats! Here’s how you can help:
1. Make a gift to Farm Aid to help us reach our goal on #GivingTuesday
Mark your calendar or download this helpful reminder so you don’t forget!
2. Spread the Word
Want to see your good deed go even further? Help us get the word out on social media! Post your favorite food and farm photos or tell people why you love Farm Aid and use the hashtags #GivingTuesday and #FarmAid. You can even start your own fundraising campaign or join a team to help grow the Farm Aid family!
3. Eat Well, Do Good
Finally, don’t forget to share your support of family farmers every day by eating good food grown in your community!
Please help us reach our goal! We’re grateful for your continued support.
