Dear Friends of GTC,
As always, I hope this finds you and your loved ones doing very, very well.
The calendar tells me that it's Spring but the temperatures outside tell a very different story! The heat and drought present increased challenges at the beginning of the growing season and our team is working hard to meet them. During the last few growing seasons, these episodes of extreme heat and drought have made the importance of our work even more apparent. As we consider the state of the environment and the significance of climate change, we know that our agricultural efforts are helping to mitigate those efforts. We are working on trying to measure that impact in quantifiable as well as qualitative ways. In the meantime, I will say to you, as I do with our youth: when we plant a seedling, we are not just growing food—we are working to save our planet!
I also always remind our youth that we are able to do what we do because of the investments made by our donors and sustainers. Thank You for making all that we do possible!
Your ongoing commitment and support have sustained GTC in ways that go beyond the budgetary impacts. Knowing that there are people out in the world, who believe in the work that we do and understand its significance beyond mitigating hunger, as if there could be anything more significant, strengthens us every day. Even as we watch the voting rights of people who look like us being stripped away in the places where black people helped to build the agricultural system that serves as a foundation of their economies, we know that people who know and speak the truth and make investments behind their words surround us. It gives me hope and strengthens me when encouraging our young people to have hope as well. We hope for a more equitable and sustainable food system and we hope for a more equitable and fair future! Thank you seems so small to try and capture all that we feel but I will say it again, thank you.
This month in our state, we are celebrating Juneteenth, a holiday that marks the moment during which all black people were known as free even if only in word. I lived a big part of my childhood in Texas and my father is from Alabama, so we have always celebrated "Freedom Day!" The stories of the massacre in Tulsa and other cities during the "Red Summer" were shared repeatedly during my childhood. Our parents and grandparents wanted us to know that the freedoms that we experienced were not guaranteed. As much as I miss them, I am so grateful that my elder relatives are not here to witness this assault on primarily black people, but that will impact other people of color and lower income white people as well. GTC helps me to remember that the world is filled with good and bad. You are such a part of the good! When you helped us to buy this land and build our infrastructure and farm store, I believe that you joined us in saying, “never again.” We know that we don't stand alone in our fight for justice.
I wanted to be sure that you know, that we know you are not just helping us to buy seeds and pay for water and buy compost (as much as we love compost)! You are, in ways that may not be completely visible, saving lives. The physical lives of families are improved by eating fresh, local produce, and we hope to see health disparities reduce and social determinants of health improve even for the limited numbers of our community members who we are able to serve. Your support also impacts the spiritual and emotional lives of those who are striving to serve in this work. It is physically hard, especially in this heat, and often feels like a drop in a bucket. It is also mentally and emotionally hard just living and working in a country that seems as if it will never love me as much as I Iove it. Your support of GTC helps to keep me from sinking into despair.
.
For the last several months I have been "holding GTC" while we conduct our search for a new Executive Director and while we have grown our staff and worked to create an environment of success for our new ED. The day-to-day challenges of running an urban ag and youth-focused organization in an ever-growing environment where more and more organizations are "competing" for the same (or less) funding has been one of the biggest challenges of my life. It has also been incredibly rewarding! The resiliency of our young staff and our youth is infectious. On the first day of our spring program launch, our assistant farm and youth program director, Toussaint Paskins, asked the youth what they were most excited about. Each and every one said something along the lines of "cleaning up the farm sites, making everything beautiful for our community again and feeding lots of people!" No matter what anyone else thinks, you and the youth remind the board of the importance of our work. Thank You!
Our work was highly valued just after the murder of George Floyd and during the surge in the pandemic. Friends, I am worried about the next few years. We have already received less and heard no from some ongoing funders as they note the need to stretch the resources available. We understand the vast need created by ongoing and systemic marginalization. It’s still hard to know how we will go on, if the trend continues. We have always been very good stewards of your investments. We save for emergencies, pay fair but not exorbitant salaries and practice sustainable management. I have held some of GTC's leadership responsibilities so that we could save money by not paying an interim director. Yet I wake every morning wondering if our efforts will be enough. We are working to ensure that our new Executive Director will take over GTC on sound financial ground. I want our new leader to have a moment to fall in love with this organization, the staff, youth, and our community, as I did so many years ago. It's my hope that you will help us to create that environment this year with your gifts, as you have done so many times before. I know that what we hope to achieve will only happen with your support!
If you are a monthly sustainer, would you please consider increasing your gift in an amount that is comfortable for you? If you are not a sustainer, but an annual giver, will you think about making this the year that you change your gift to monthly or quarterly? These regular gifts truly do help us to plan for and anticipate our monthly budgetary expenses. No matter how you give, even a small increase in your gift will make a significant financial difference in our bottom line.
I know that we are not alone in having been impacted during the pandemic. I pray that you are not among the many who were. If you are not able to change your gift at this time, please send out your very best wishes for us into the universe whether through prayer or a whisper into the wind—I believe those wishes are heard. They are certainly felt! Please know that I send my very best wishes and love out to each of you. The board, staff and are so excited by the possibility that we might actually be able to be together with you in person before the year is out. The entire staff and board share my eagerness to greet you in person and maybe even to share a hug. In the meantime, please know that your support is such a big part of the reason that we continue to go forward hoping for better for all of us.
The lessons from my grandparents have resonated in my heart throughout my life, but especially during the last year. I know with complete understanding that we all do better, when we all do better. Please consider helping GTC to continue to do better. Until we see or speak with each other, be well and grow something!
Sending love,
liz
As always, I hope this finds you and your loved ones doing very, very well.
The calendar tells me that it's Spring but the temperatures outside tell a very different story! The heat and drought present increased challenges at the beginning of the growing season and our team is working hard to meet them. During the last few growing seasons, these episodes of extreme heat and drought have made the importance of our work even more apparent. As we consider the state of the environment and the significance of climate change, we know that our agricultural efforts are helping to mitigate those efforts. We are working on trying to measure that impact in quantifiable as well as qualitative ways. In the meantime, I will say to you, as I do with our youth: when we plant a seedling, we are not just growing food—we are working to save our planet!
I also always remind our youth that we are able to do what we do because of the investments made by our donors and sustainers. Thank You for making all that we do possible!
Your ongoing commitment and support have sustained GTC in ways that go beyond the budgetary impacts. Knowing that there are people out in the world, who believe in the work that we do and understand its significance beyond mitigating hunger, as if there could be anything more significant, strengthens us every day. Even as we watch the voting rights of people who look like us being stripped away in the places where black people helped to build the agricultural system that serves as a foundation of their economies, we know that people who know and speak the truth and make investments behind their words surround us. It gives me hope and strengthens me when encouraging our young people to have hope as well. We hope for a more equitable and sustainable food system and we hope for a more equitable and fair future! Thank you seems so small to try and capture all that we feel but I will say it again, thank you.
This month in our state, we are celebrating Juneteenth, a holiday that marks the moment during which all black people were known as free even if only in word. I lived a big part of my childhood in Texas and my father is from Alabama, so we have always celebrated "Freedom Day!" The stories of the massacre in Tulsa and other cities during the "Red Summer" were shared repeatedly during my childhood. Our parents and grandparents wanted us to know that the freedoms that we experienced were not guaranteed. As much as I miss them, I am so grateful that my elder relatives are not here to witness this assault on primarily black people, but that will impact other people of color and lower income white people as well. GTC helps me to remember that the world is filled with good and bad. You are such a part of the good! When you helped us to buy this land and build our infrastructure and farm store, I believe that you joined us in saying, “never again.” We know that we don't stand alone in our fight for justice.
I wanted to be sure that you know, that we know you are not just helping us to buy seeds and pay for water and buy compost (as much as we love compost)! You are, in ways that may not be completely visible, saving lives. The physical lives of families are improved by eating fresh, local produce, and we hope to see health disparities reduce and social determinants of health improve even for the limited numbers of our community members who we are able to serve. Your support also impacts the spiritual and emotional lives of those who are striving to serve in this work. It is physically hard, especially in this heat, and often feels like a drop in a bucket. It is also mentally and emotionally hard just living and working in a country that seems as if it will never love me as much as I Iove it. Your support of GTC helps to keep me from sinking into despair.
.
For the last several months I have been "holding GTC" while we conduct our search for a new Executive Director and while we have grown our staff and worked to create an environment of success for our new ED. The day-to-day challenges of running an urban ag and youth-focused organization in an ever-growing environment where more and more organizations are "competing" for the same (or less) funding has been one of the biggest challenges of my life. It has also been incredibly rewarding! The resiliency of our young staff and our youth is infectious. On the first day of our spring program launch, our assistant farm and youth program director, Toussaint Paskins, asked the youth what they were most excited about. Each and every one said something along the lines of "cleaning up the farm sites, making everything beautiful for our community again and feeding lots of people!" No matter what anyone else thinks, you and the youth remind the board of the importance of our work. Thank You!
Our work was highly valued just after the murder of George Floyd and during the surge in the pandemic. Friends, I am worried about the next few years. We have already received less and heard no from some ongoing funders as they note the need to stretch the resources available. We understand the vast need created by ongoing and systemic marginalization. It’s still hard to know how we will go on, if the trend continues. We have always been very good stewards of your investments. We save for emergencies, pay fair but not exorbitant salaries and practice sustainable management. I have held some of GTC's leadership responsibilities so that we could save money by not paying an interim director. Yet I wake every morning wondering if our efforts will be enough. We are working to ensure that our new Executive Director will take over GTC on sound financial ground. I want our new leader to have a moment to fall in love with this organization, the staff, youth, and our community, as I did so many years ago. It's my hope that you will help us to create that environment this year with your gifts, as you have done so many times before. I know that what we hope to achieve will only happen with your support!
If you are a monthly sustainer, would you please consider increasing your gift in an amount that is comfortable for you? If you are not a sustainer, but an annual giver, will you think about making this the year that you change your gift to monthly or quarterly? These regular gifts truly do help us to plan for and anticipate our monthly budgetary expenses. No matter how you give, even a small increase in your gift will make a significant financial difference in our bottom line.
I know that we are not alone in having been impacted during the pandemic. I pray that you are not among the many who were. If you are not able to change your gift at this time, please send out your very best wishes for us into the universe whether through prayer or a whisper into the wind—I believe those wishes are heard. They are certainly felt! Please know that I send my very best wishes and love out to each of you. The board, staff and are so excited by the possibility that we might actually be able to be together with you in person before the year is out. The entire staff and board share my eagerness to greet you in person and maybe even to share a hug. In the meantime, please know that your support is such a big part of the reason that we continue to go forward hoping for better for all of us.
The lessons from my grandparents have resonated in my heart throughout my life, but especially during the last year. I know with complete understanding that we all do better, when we all do better. Please consider helping GTC to continue to do better. Until we see or speak with each other, be well and grow something!
Sending love,
liz