Throughout the month of August, Neighborly Gifts encouraged Restaurant Voucher card-holders to redeem their gifts at one of the two dozen small businesses included in our program. For every card redeemed — Coffee & Pastry, Lunch or Dinner — Neighborly Gifts donated $1 to The Village Agricultural Cooperative, a Rochester-based nonprofit that believes in promoting healthy communities through sustainable agriculture. Because of our community, we were able to donate $500 to the Village to help further their mission.
We chose to support our neighbors at The Village because of their mission to support the community through local, sustainable food options. They serve growers from more than 22 countries who wish to integrate into local farms and markets, with over 200 families involved growing crops across Rochester.
The Village encourages these families to grow crops specific to their country of origin, while renting the land on a pay-what-you-can basis. By creating space for public and market gardens in urban areas, the organization addresses the health needs of our people and planet while building food systems for future generations, and nourishing our elders too. The Village believes that sustainable agriculture creates healthy communities.
Kim Sin, Local Food Development Coordinator at the Village, spoke with our team about what donations like ours mean for the Village’s future. “We appreciate what you have done for the village. Whatever we get will make an impact for our community.” With the dollars donated, they hope to “continue to provide water irrigation as we are expanding land access” Kim explained.
Neighborly Gifts simplifies corporate gift giving while keeping dollars circulating in your neighborhood. Through our Restaurant Voucher program, we offer the gift of choice by allowing you to redeem your cards at any participating local establishment — either for coffee and a pastry, lunch, or dinner, depending on the card. Now exclusively serving the Rochester, MN area.
