OGC’S CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS FUND SUPPORTS OVER 50 NONPROFITS IN 2021
By Brian Keogh, OGC Buyer & Chair of OGC’s Charitable Contributions Committee
Being stewards of our community, the planet, and organic farming is rooted in OGC’s history and part of our purpose. I have the pleasure and honor of chairing OGC’s Charitable Contributions Committee, just one aspect of our stakeholder giving. A coworker-led committee is responsible for distributing dozens of donations to targeted nonprofits and community organizations on behalf of OGC.
OGC’s annual charitable contributions program is funded by 2.5% of net profits generated by the prior year’s sales. Because of this, the fund itself fluctuates in size. Our growth last year allowed us to make a bigger impact through more donations in 2021.
Many of our stakeholder priorities are evident in our giving, so, as the year ends, I wanted to share highlights of our biggest donations year ever.
2021 presented some unique challenges in the communities that OGC serves. Food security came to the forefront as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to create disparities in society. In response, the committee expanded our range of giving to nonprofits dedicated to food insecurity including Backyard Harvest in Idaho and Gallatin Valley Food Bank in Montana, along with continued support for Marion County Food Share, Oregon Food Bank and Food for Lane County.
We invested in organic research and education across a wide swath of organizations from the Organic Farming and Research Foundation to the Organic Seed Alliance and California Certified Organic Farmers Foundation, OSU’s Agricultural Research Fund and the WSU Bread Lab.
Impactful donations were made to youth- and beginning farmer-focused organic education taking place at Bethel Farm and Lane County Youth Farm in Springfield, Boise Urban Garden School, Rogue Farm Corps, and OSU’s Small Farm School.
We renewed support for McKenzie River Trust, three local farmland trusts, and became business-aligned partners with the Climate Collaborative and Willamette River Keepers, putting OGC among an incredible network of conservationists and climate activists.
We committed in a bigger way to farmworker relief with donations to Unete, Causa, Huerto de Familia, and Farmer Veteran Coalition.
We also sponsored plastic takebacks across Lane County through a partnership with Eco Generation, Lane County’s only plastic recycler, keeping thousands of pounds of plastic out of the landfill.
In addition, we supported 15 community organizations with in-kind fresh organic produce donations, including supplying the Urban League of Portland’s youth-led farmer’s market last July and August. A big thanks to OGC’s Jeannette Hoss for organizing all in-kind donations. It’s no small feat!