Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA’s (RAFI-USA) Come to the Table program (CTTT) is pleased to once again offer grants to support up to 20 rural United Methodist churches throughout North Carolina. CTTT will fund churches that are engaging in hunger relief with mini-grants of up to $2,000. These grants are funded by support from The Duke Endowment.
Meet Nikki Pressley, RAFI-USA’s Farmers of Color Network Coordinator. Nikki brings commitment and passion to her work as an advocate for farmers and as an artist.
RAFI-USA seeks a values-driven, organized manager to lead the day-to-day activities of the Come to the Table program and help shape the program’s future strategic direction. Working directly with the Executive Director, the CTTT Director’s primary emphasis will be on strategy development and implementation, program oversight and evaluation, fundraising, and partner development.
Organized with Christina Benton of Janco Community Farms, Parkway United Church of Christ, SHARE Harvest, and the Wake Forest University community, RAFI-USA staff has led the formation of a community-supported agriculture (CSA) partnership in Forsyth County with more than 40 participants.
On November 2, the Come to the Table (CTTT) program hosted a peer-learning event for 2020-2021 mini-grant recipients. The event focused on the logistics and purpose behind faith communities creating and sustaining partnerships with local farmers of color.
RAFI-USA seeks a values-driven, entrepreneurial manager to lead the day-to-day activities of the Farmers of Color Network program and help shape the program’s future strategic direction. The Director’s primary emphasis will be on strategy development and implementation, program oversight and evaluation, fundraising, and partner development.
Over the past few months, as Congress has debated the provisions of the “budget reconciliation” process, we’ve asked for your help advocating for major investments in climate-friendly agriculture and debt relief for farmers who need it. We are almost there. Ask your members of Congress to support its passage.
Earlier this year, the USDA announced that it would propose three rule changes related to the Packers and Stockyards Act to strengthen its ability to enforce the protections afforded by the Act to U.S. farmers. The good news is that the current political landscape offers our best chance in years to secure the reforms contract farmers need.
On a breezy, early fall day, Farmers of Color Network staff members joined farmers Steve and Elke McCalla at their Rocky Ridge Farm in Louisburg, NC for a small farmer brigade. Neighbor and friend Ken Daniels was there to pitch in as well.