Looking for a creative gift this holiday season? Consider sponsoring a market day at the Hollywood Farmers Market on behalf of a loved one.
New this year, the Hollywood Farmers Market’s Sponsorship Program allows individuals or businesses to sponsor a market day, meaning that their donation is funding the market’s SNAP match program on that date. The SNAP match program, in operation at the market since 2010, doubles the purchasing power of low-income populations. When customers use their SNAP (formerly food stamps) card at the market, the Hollywood Farmers Market will match, dollar for dollar, up to $5. In 2014, the Hollywood Farmers Market matched over $10,000 in SNAP transactions. Community support in the form of sponsorships is critical to this program’s continued success.
Benefits of sponsoring a market include recognition at the market’s information booth, e-newsletter, and website, among other outlets. Sponsorship levels start at $150, and 100% of donations go directly to the SNAP match program. This ensures that 100% of donations will end up in the pockets of local farmers, and be used to feed Portlanders who need it most.
Becoming a sponsor of Hollywood Farmers Market is a great way for individuals and local businesses to contribute to broader access to fresh, local produce — thereby supporting Portland residents as well as local farmers.
Sponsors can elect to sponsor a single week of the market, or up to an entire month. During the summer months, Hollywood Farmers Market is brimming with the peak of Oregon’s agricultural bounty; enthusiastic shoppers clamor for those fresh, juicy tomatoes and sun-ripened berries. At an average summer market, 4000 shoppers or more make a trip to the market part of their Saturday routine. Throughout the winter, farmers continue to bring delicious crops to market, and shoppers fill their baskets with local cheeses, artisan breads, dried beans and grains, and meat. Winter markets continue to draw crowds of over 1500–and up to 3000–people a week.
Sponsorship levels are designed to match diverse abilities to give, and they also reflect the seasonal variation in the market. For more details on the sponsorship program, and to find out how you can give, contact the market’s Development Committee Chair, Katy Pelissier, at development@hollywoodfarmersmarket.org.
