PCC Community Markets, the largest community-owned food market in the U.S., has awarded $35,000 in Community Grants to local nonprofits focused on cultivating local, organic food systems and supporting diverse communities. PCC’s 2021 Community Grant recipients are the African Community Housing and Development (Delridge Farmers Market), Black Farmers Collective, Chief Seattle Club, The Common Acre, Gathering Roots Wellness, Plant Based Food Share, and United Indians of All Tribes.
“PCC’s grant programs are a critical ingredient in achieving our vision through giving back to our community,” said Brenna Davis, PCC’s VP of social and environmental responsibility, in a statement. “With our programs including Community Grants, we have helped fund farms and community gardens in urban and rural BIPOC communities, assisted low-income entrepreneurs with building their businesses, and supported scientific research in underfunded fields. We are grateful to continue this work that strengthens a collaborative culture capable of transformational change.”
PCC introduced the co-op’s Community Grants in 2014 as a quarterly program and it shifted to annual with the onset of the pandemic in 2020. This year the co-op simplified the grant submission process, removing barriers and increasing access to better support community partners to help them achieve their missions. The 2021 Community Grant recipients will use the funding in meaningful ways to each organization, including the support of a pilot program at four Seattle farm sites and increasing the accessibility for a local farm.
"United Indians of All Tribes Foundation is grateful to partner with PCC Community Markets on another effort to fight food insecurity which is growing in King County,” said Michael Tulee, executive director, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, in a statement. “In recognition of our Elders contributions, and the real risks of isolation, our program maintains Elders' connections to community and well-being. Thanks to generous organizations like PCC, we have delivered meals, uninterrupted, throughout this pandemic. Those deliveries also serve as check-points for problem-solving and support."
In its ongoing work to support its local communities, PCC also recently awarded $30,000 in Downtown Seattle Food Access Grants to six organizations focused on addressing food insecurity through the purchase of organic goods. The co-op will begin accepting applications for its Organic Producer Grants that support local producers and farms in December 2021.
Related: PCC Highlights Local Produce; Diverse-Owned Brands Attract Consumer Interest, Gain Retail Support.