Hobart B. Ayers Meeting House Project
Fall 2023: Your contributions make our progress possible!
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Mission of the Hobart B. Ayers Meeting House:
The Ayers Foundation works to create a real-world connection with local food, healthy living, and the environment. Through the work of farm-based education, food production, and conservation-based land management, The Ayers Foundation is contributing to a positive shift in the regional and national food system.
In order to expand the work of educating, training and celebrating regional food access and farming, the foundation is developing an onsite classroom facility with a certified kitchen and farm store. We believe in the importance of making the connection from the field to the kitchen, and in creating those opportunities, we can play our part in shifting the health and empowerment of whole communities and bio-regions.
In order to expand the work of educating, training and celebrating regional food access and farming, the foundation is developing an onsite classroom facility with a certified kitchen and farm store. We believe in the importance of making the connection from the field to the kitchen, and in creating those opportunities, we can play our part in shifting the health and empowerment of whole communities and bio-regions.
Project Description:
This project is using grant funds to complete construction of the multipurpose H.B. Ayers Meeting House on a preserved fieldstone foundation. This structure will function as 1) a farm store, 2) a value-added teaching kitchen, 3) a small agricultural museum, and 4) a storage and processing center for the Farmers’ Community Food Hub.
Products made in the value-added kitchen will be marketed primarily to specialty markets, through farmer's markets, and directly to households within a 50-mile radius of Westerly, Rhode Island. This expansion of the food hub into value-added products will avail more than a dozen partner farms of new markets.
The Foundation will continue its work with students from pre-K through college, conducting learning expeditions, holding nutrition workshops for families, and working with culinary students, educators, and professional chefs in developing programs and recipes centered on healthy farm fresh food.
Products made in the value-added kitchen will be marketed primarily to specialty markets, through farmer's markets, and directly to households within a 50-mile radius of Westerly, Rhode Island. This expansion of the food hub into value-added products will avail more than a dozen partner farms of new markets.
The Foundation will continue its work with students from pre-K through college, conducting learning expeditions, holding nutrition workshops for families, and working with culinary students, educators, and professional chefs in developing programs and recipes centered on healthy farm fresh food.
Working Together Toward Completion of the Hobart B Ayers Meeting House: Donate now to help us reach our completion goals!
What you will help us to achieve:
Your contribution will help convert a 100-year-old stone foundation into a multi-purpose structure that will host a farm store, a small memorial and museum, a storage and processing center & a teaching kitchen, and will help us achieve the following goals:
- Boost direct sales to nearby communities
- Provide an agritourist venue
- Improve public access to organic, farm fresh foods
- Reduce farm and produce waste
- Increase survivability and profitability of 12+ partner farms
- Expand and enhance educational activities
- Raise awareness around matters concerning healthy food and its sovereignty
Goals
Private benefactors have challenged the Ayers Foundation to crowdfund and exceed a $15,000 donation toward the completion of a multipurpose building, The Hobart B. Ayers Meeting House! This structure is critical to our charitable work and to supporting the expansion of our social enterprise, The Farmers’ Community Food Hub. It is due to the generosity and vision of our benefactors that we are NOW so close to completing the transformation of an historical foundation for a noble cause, benefiting the communities of Washington and New London County.
Helping to ensure the success of these programs and those to follow
cannot be achieved without your participation!
cannot be achieved without your participation!
The wealth of a nation rests on the health of its children!