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Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Western Environmental Law Center
OGC’s Mission Fund Grant Program helps grow the organic agriculture movement and protect the climate by supporting hard working growers, customers and mission-aligned organizations working toward a healthier more sustainable food future. Western Environmental Law Center is just one of the many organizations the Mission Fund supported in 2023.
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: People’s Land Fund
Imagine a world where community is centered, resources are shared and we thrive together. The founders of the People’s Land Fund not only imagined it…they’re creating it.
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Black Food Fund
In honor of Black History Month, we’d like to introduce Mission Fund grant recipient Black Food Fund.
“As people of African descent, our work finds its meaning and strength in a powerful legacy of community building and collective struggle,” said Jamese Kwele, Co-Founder of the Black Food Fund.
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Co-op Market Grocery & Deli
Co-op Market Grocery & Deli, located in Fairbanks, started 10 years ago as the first retail food co-op in Alaska. They wanted to give local suppliers a place to sell their goods, create a community-gathering spot where people could buy food and help solve the fresh food desert in their area. Now, there are three food co-ops in Alaska that work together to bring more food options to their community.
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Washington Farmland Trust
Supporting farms and protecting farmland is essential. Washington Farmland Trust (WFT) has been working for decades to preserve farmland and assist a new generation of farmers. Their wide-ranging programs include farmland conservation efforts, land access technical assistance, stewardship initiatives, sustainability efforts, and more.
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Kitchen Table Advisors
KTA supports small farmers and ranchers who use organic practices and are focused on environmental and social change in the food system. Their vision is to rebuild a food system rooted in community, justice and ecological responsibility. To make this vision a reality, KTA makes it a priority to work with owners of small farms and ranches who have historically been excluded from resources and recognition within our food system – namely the BIPOC, women, low-income, immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities.
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: McKenzie River Trust
“We’re grateful to be able to provide a place where people can connect with nature without obstacles,” said Holly McRae, events and outreach manager at the McKenzie River Trust. “One of the cool things about the McKenzie River Trust is our incredible circle of supporters, including OGC. It would be hard to do this work without a whole community behind you, and the McKenzie River Trust really has that.”
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Kiss the Ground
“Things feel like they’re starting to come together. There’s a lot of hope – people are seeing results, and farmers are saying the soil is changing,” said Nathan Rice, Communications and Marketing Director at Kiss the Ground. “Organizations like Organically Grown Company are important for this change – both by promoting organic, which keeps toxic pesticides off the land, and financially supporting our work.”
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Viva Farms
“It’s inspiring to have a partner that helps us help our farmers – not only move their product and tell the stories but also financially supports the work directly,” said Michael Frazier, executive director of Viva Farms. “We’re a small team, trying to lift a heavy load. To have partners see, understand and support the work in the way that OGC does is essential.”
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Climate Collaborative
Today, March 7, is Climate Day at Natural Products Expo West. Every year, the Climate Collaborative brings together thought leaders from the natural products world to inspire, offer advice and bridge connections. T
his event is an essential part of the Climate Collaborative’s mission, which focuses on leveraging the power of the natural products industry to reverse climate change through policy advocacy and an engaging commitment program.
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Moscow Food Co-Op
Fifty years ago, four University of Idaho students who believed food justice and ownership were critically important worked together to start the Moscow Food Co-Op. Today, the co-op straddles two of the most food-insecure counties in the Inland Northwest - Latah and Whitman. Faced with this fact, the Co-op’s leaders and members knew they needed to help, so they created the FLOWER program and Equity Fund to support low-income shoppers.
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: FOOD for Lane County Youth Farm
Each summer, 10 to 15 teens come to grow – in many ways. They earn a wage and gain job skills and training in gardening, leadership, financial management, and nutrition while learning to grow organic produce for a 180+ member CSA program and two produce stands. Half of the crop grown on the farm goes to the food bank to support neighbors in need.
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Oregon Food Bank
Oregon Food Bank is on a mission to eliminate hunger and its root causes. They’ve been helping folks in our community for over 40 years through a wide range of programs, including distributing food across Oregon and Southwest Washington, organizing volunteers, supporting growers, and more. Through their work, they give away food today, and through their advocacy efforts, they support legislation to ensure food security for the future.
Meet OGC Mission Fund Recipient: Berg’s Berries & Organic Produce
Carl, reminiscing about when he first started working with OGC, mentioned that “We were one of the first growers through the doors when OGC opened. I remember bringing in flats of strawberries to a tiny loading dock. At that point, growers were running around to stores and almost tripping over each other. OGC had the idea to do the marketing and distribution so farmers could spend their time farming. I believed in that then and I still do now.”
Organically Grown Company Donates $100,000 to Three Organizations Focused on the Future of Organic Agriculture.
With a mission to promote and inspire the growth of the organic agriculture movement, Organically Grown Company (OGC) made strategic investments in organic trade advocacy and research in 2022, supporting the work of the Oregon Organic Coalition, the Coalition of Organic and Regenerative Agriculture and The Organic Center.
In the Spirit of Giving, OGC Delivers Over $165,000 in Grants, Nourishing 65 Organizations in 2022
Organically Grown Company’s mission is to promote and inspire the growth of the organic agricultural movement. For decades, OGC has given back a portion of our profits to mission-aligned organizations dedicated to fighting for causes we believe in and nourishing the Northwest communities we serve. Our Mission Fund, created when OGC became the first company in the nation to transition to perpetual trust ownership in 2018, distributes grants each year. This year, OGC gave $150,000 in grant funding to 65 organizations across our region.
Give Back with OGC’s Ladybug Brand Farm to School Apple Program!
As the Northwest organic Fuji apple harvest reaches full production, these fan-favorites are being packed into cheery Ladybug Brand Farm to School Apple bags. Available in 12x3 lb. cases and perfectly sized for lunch boxes and snacks on the go, these tasty apples are more than just convenient and delicious — they give back!
OGC’S CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS FUND SUPPORTS OVER 50 NONPROFITS IN 2021
Being stewards of our community, the planet, and organic farming is rooted in OGC’s history and part of our purpose.
Nearly One Year Since Devastating Wildfire, Whitewater Ranch is Harvesting Beautiful Blueberries for OGC
A long-time grower partner and land-steward, Whitewater Ranch is as picturesque a location as anyone could hope to farm. Bordered by the river on one side and hugged by a forested ridge on the other, the farm’s rows of blueberries are stunning against their natural backdrop.
Learn more about Whitewater Ranch, just one of the many dedicated growers OGC relies on to fill delicious packs of Ladybug Brand blueberries!
Helping FOOD for Lane County Grow
FOOD for Lane County (FFLC), a vital resource and longtime community partner, shares OGC’s vision for a healthy and just food system. The friendship and support between the two organizations span decades, yet we continue to be amazed by their impact and heart.