In times like these, it is important to know you are not alone. As an urban farm, we are part of a community - a community of farmers & restaurants, food lovers & health nuts. Despite the current crisis, our community is strong and together we continue the fight for a better, healthier planet.

Since starting our farm, we’ve received help from friends and customers expecting nothing in return. Now, during this unprecedented time, we want to give back to our community. Like other small businesses, we continue to struggle with the current challenges. However, many are affected much more than we are — those who are ill and their families, as well as those who  are employed in the restaurant and gig industries, the homeless and countless others who lost or never had a stable income.

That’s why we decided to help those who need it most right now. Going forward, we will be donating 20% of our revenue to the organization Rethink Food NYC. In recent months, our co-founder Dan has volunteered with Rethink and recently joined their Associate Board. In the midst of the ongoing crisis, this incredible organization is working day and night to provide food to those who can’t afford it across New York City. But Rethink desperately needs our donations to scale up and rise to this growing challenge. 

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We’ve been struggling to find the right way to respond to this growing crisis. Words and Instagram posts can feel so meaningless and phony at a time like this. After days of debate, we’ve come to two simple conclusions: 1. We will continue to operate our farm to get all of our customers the fresh nutrients they need now more than ever 2. We will support our community as much as we possibly can ~~~~~ In that vein, today we are announcing that 20% of our revenue in the coming weeks will be going to an amazing local non-profit @rethinkfood.nyc . This organization is working nonstop to get food to those most in need and keep restaurants open + restaurant workers employed. As a business, we are struggling to survive this period just as others are, but together as a community we can provide for each other and weather this storm. ~~~~~ We encourage you to check out the link in our bio to learn more about Rethink and the way we plan to help our community through this pandemic. Support your local businesses and community, whenever you can. Let us hear from you and let’s get through this together.

A post shared by The New Farmers (@wearethenewfarmers) on Mar 19, 2020 at 8:45am PDT

At the moment, Rethink Food NYC is working on two new initiatives to improve access to food across the city during this pandemic. First, they are helping to keep ~30 restaurants open by giving each a $40,000 grant while assisting with the switch to a lower-cost, optimized food distribution model. Rethink is also helping implement a sanitized workspace and transition the restaurant to delivery and pick up only, thus providing an income to those that currently suffer the most from uncertainty.

Second, Rethink is setting up a cafe in Brooklyn that functions as a hybrid between soup kitchen and restaurant. They use otherwise wasted food that closed restaurants have in storage and prepare meals that cost $3 or less for anyone struggling to afford food. Between the cafe and Rethink’s existing programs, the organization hopes to provide more than 25,000 meals a day across the city. 

 

 “Optimism is key. There’s no way we
will let this take us down as New Yorkers.”
Matt, Rethink’s founder and executive director

We will do everything in our power to continue our operations as long as we can. We know that many of you rely on your regular delivery of fresh nutrients - as much as we rely on a regular income from our sales. No matter whether you buy our fresh Spirulina or our merchandise, we will be giving 20% to Rethink. Try to support your local farms as much as you can, but even if you can’t buy anything from us right now, consider donating directly to Rethink Food NYC.