Growers Market of Fuquay-Varina

To promote healthy eating, active living opportunities, and connections between local farmers and community members; to provide a convenient and affordable food security resource via SNAP/EBT, and WIC & Senior Market FMNP Double Bucks, and Farm to Pantry buy back programs. Our priorities are food access for all, food equity, farm to table, and farm preservation. The Fuquay-Varina Growers Market (FVGM) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, operating under Sownhay Inc., cultivating and supporting partnerships between local farmers, producers, artisans and the community. The Growers Market is committed in providing an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and safe-space regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, political beliefs, or social economic status. The operations of the Fuquay-Varina Growers Market relies on generous sponsors, donors, and fees paid by vendors. The Double Bucks and Food to Pantry programs are grant funded by Wake County’s Food Security Programand the Cooperative Extension of Wake County. Additional Double Bucks dollars have been graciously sponsored by the Fuquay-Varina Rotary Club. The FVGM owes its success to the invaluable partnership and cooperation of the Poe Center for Health Education,Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Fuquay-Varina,Wake County, and the Cooperative Extension of Wake County. Our Fuquay-Varina Growers Market has a rich history within our community.  Even though management of the market has changed hands a few times, one thing has stayed consistent: our farmers! Almost 25 years ago, a couple of local farmers got together and formed the Fuquay-Varina Downtown Farmers Market.  We are digging into the history of the market by talking to RB Mason, now in his 90's, who started with "The Tomato Man".  We are sure details will change as we continue to talk to people involved with the market early on. Pipa's Farm and Sim Ogburn joined them a few years later and the market moved to different  parking lots along Main St. throughout the years. In 2020, the Poe Center for Health Educationcontacted the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerceto learn more about the local growers market, and why it had closed its doors in 2018. After learning more about themarket’s history, and establishing an interest in the area for its reopening, a team from the Poe Center collaborated with the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerceto help get the Growers Market back up and running. Partners rallied behind the market to provide sponsorships, and vendors signed up to kick off the 2021 season and make it into a success. Throughout the return season, the Poe Center for Health Educationhosted a booth providing nutrition education, activities, and food samples, while Poe staff worked behind the scenes to allow the market to provide SNAP/EBT and WIC/Senior FMNP benefits to customers. The next step was to find ways to support the market with a focus on sustainability and strengthening a community network. The initial steps toward sustainability included securing ongoing funding for the Growers Market through grants and sponsorships, and hiring a full time market manager. While planning for the 2022 market season, a team comprised of Poe staff, the market manager, and a handful of college interns were able to secure resources to enhance the mission of the market, which is “to provide healthy eating and active living opportunities and connections between local farmers and community members, and to provide a convenient and affordable resource for local foods”. New programs have been put into place, including doubling SNAP/EBT and FMNP benefits, buybacks from farmers, produce donations to 4 local food security sites, bilingual communication material, stipends for BIPOC vendors, weekly live music and kids activities, and increased promotion through social media. Wake County has been instrumental in supporting the market and making these programs possible. Through these outreach and sustainability efforts, the Growers Market h