Subject: 144 Envelope Fundraising Challenge!

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FRESH New London
Dear Friends,

As we come to the close of this FULL YEAR of Covid, I want to take the opportunity to reflect on all that we accomplished, and to thank you, our wonderful community, for all your help.

We had great success collaborating with our community to run the brand-new NLC Dream Market, a weekly art, music, and food street festival that ran from Mid-June through the end of September. The free event hosted dozens of vendors and performers from the region, as well as our new project: a free/pay-what-you-can produce table, which was VERY well received! Huge shoutout to Cultured AF for partnering with FRESH on this project. 

Our youth program was vibrant this year, and our Spring, Summer, and Fall sessions welcomed back youth in person! With masks and social distancing, 28 young people learned about food justice, developed leadership skills, and grew lots of delicious, organic food. They also helped set up and run the market, connected with other similar organizations, went on educational fieldtrips, and had a lot of fun!

Something new and special this year was the collaboration between two of our young people, Roodley Merillo and Perla Alicea Vazquez, our youth community, and Magik Press on two amazing art pieces, which are now installed at our gardens! Roodley's large-scale photographs can be seen at the McDonald St park, while Perla's painted mural is on display at the Ledyard St garden. Connecticut Public Television did a lovely piece on us and the projects, which you can see HERE. 

And of course, we continued our core work with the Mission CSA, snackbed gardens, volunteer days and community gardens. We couldn't do all this without your support and participation. Thank you! 

We are looking forward to the winter season to reflect, plan and make 2022 dynamic, fun and full of NL Grown food. 
Next Steps!

So now, I'm sure you're wondering how you can get involved. Volunteer days will return in April, but in the meantime, we could use your help now! 

Today we are relaunching our popular fundraiser, the 144 Envelope Challenge to raise $10,000!
We have 144 virtual envelopes numbered 1 to 144 that we are hoping to fill. If we get $1 from envelope #1, $2 from envelope #2, and so on, when all the envelopes are filled we will have raised a little over $10,000! 

We love this because everyone can particpate and no amount is too of giving is too small! 

Here’s how it works:
1. Click here to get to our website. Look at the picture on the top of that page to choose a number from one of the envelopes. (We’ll put a square over the filled envelopes in the picture. If there is no square, it’s open and ready to be filled.)

2. Go to our donate page and enter the amount you want to give. (If you’re feeling extra flush, you could click the button to give that amount every month!)

3. Share it on all your social media so you’re friends can support FRESH too!

(Don’t want to give online? We can accept cash & checks too. Checks can be mailed to PO Box 285, New London, CT 06320. Email us at info@freshnewlondon.org to donate cash.)

$10,000 goes a long way to support all great work we do here at FRESH! So please choose the envelope that feels right for you and fill it with that number of dollars.

You can get creative about it too!

Consider asking friends to help you fill your envelope. And you can certainly take more than one envelope: maybe you can spare $40 but the #40 envelope is already taken - don’t settle for #39, instead take #35 and #5.


WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

Interested in supporting FRESH with a 
tax-deductible donation?

Of course you are!
 
Follow this link: 
http://www.freshnewlondon.org/support-us 
PO Box 285, New london, CT 06320, United States
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