In Just Two Weeks, You Raised $32K for Our Foodmakers Affected by North Bay Fires

Now, here’s how we’re gifting those funds to the producers who need it most.

Visit our original GoFundMe page here.

Around this time last month, our friends and foodmakers up north were still quantifying the damage that a series of devastating fires in Napa and Sonoma County inflicted on their land and ultimately, their livelihood: farms burned, structures lost, and a staggering amount of workers and field crew driven out of their homes. After the fires and news cycle died down, we reached out to many of our longtime partners and they shared two concrete needs: funds to rebuild, and funds to support displaced employees. It was a no-brainer to call on our community for support in the form of a fundraiser.

Two weeks later, over 150 of you had donated to our campaign, raising a grand total of $31,625. We were humbled. By your words, by your actions, by your commitment to this incredible community. Now more than ever, we’re so thankful you join us in our mission each and every day, and are proud to now turn these funds over to affected producers as they face some mighty tasks ahead.

Over 150 of you donated to our campaign, raising a grand total of $31,625.

To allocate the funds you raised, we formed a committee with two Good Eggs employees from our office and foodhub, one non-affected producer, one customer, and one member of our executive team. This committee selected final recipients from a pool of nominations.

Below is an update of where your donations are going, and how they’ll help get our affected producers back on their feet:

$15,000 Grant (1): Oak Hill Farm

Located in Sonoma’s Valley of the Moon, Oak Hill Farm supplies the gorgeous wreaths and arrangements you see so prominently displayed in our floral category. They lost a number of structures, fields of trees, equipment, and tens of thousands of dollars in revenue. The large task of rebuilding their operation lies ahead, and this grant of $15,000 will go toward those efforts.

$7,500 Grant (1) : Wineforest Wild Foods

Connie Green and her family of harvesters have been providing coveted wild foods to restaurants and retailers since 1981. The business was hurt by the fires, with thousands of pounds of mushrooms, berries, and truffles lost in the damage. Additionally, multiple employees lost a week’s worth of pay due to mandatory evacuations.

This grant of $7,500 will be able to cover those lost wages, and the remainder of the funds will go toward rebuilding their destroyed inventory.

$2,500 Grants (3): Employees of La Tortilla Factory

La Tortilla Factory bakes high quality tortillas in Santa Rosa with food and family at the heart of everything they do. Many of the company’s employees lost their homes in the fires and are still displaced. Three grants of $2,500 will be given to three of the company’s employees who lack insurance to cover the damage to their personal property.

$2,500 Grant (1): Employee of Pizza Politana

Pizza Politana is a Petaluma-based family business cooking up Neapolitan-style pizzas at farmers’ markets throughout the Bay Area (and we’re lucky to sell their beautiful premade pizza dough and delicious red sauce.) Some of their employees lost their homes to the fire, and are seeking more permanent housing solutions so they’re able to stay and work in the area. $2,500 will be granted to one of Pizza Politana’s displaced employees.

In the spirit of transparency, please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments on this fundraiser and our grant process. We’ll publish a follow-up to this post when our grant recipients have made progress on their projects.