FarmRaiser, a small fundraising company new to the Seattle area, wants to educate kids about sustainability and local consumption while helping them raise money for their schools.
Its campaigns aim to replace traditional wrapping-paper and cookie-dough sales, connecting students with local farmers and artisan food companies while offering meaningful education on sustainability.
FarmRaiser lets schools choose the products that they’ll offer in their campaigns, usually products made within 30 miles; Theo Chocolate, Macrina Bakery, and Queen Anne Olive Oil Company are all partnered with FarmRaiser.
So what are the benefits of getting involved with FarmRaiser? Christina Carson, FarmRaiser’s chief cultivator, says her company offers both an educational experience and a way to build better community connections. “Our campaigns aim to help students better understand the importance of what goes into their bodies, and why it matters where that food comes from,” she says. “When students are selling local products, they can connect with the products and businesses in a different way than when they're selling mass-produced items from far away.”
FarmRaiser, which currently works with eight Seattle schools, is looking for more schools and organizations to hop on board. Working with FarmRaiser is of course an alternative way to fundraise — they guarantee at least a 45 percent profit for schools and organizations — but it’s also a way to facilitate meaningful conversations about community and sustainable consumption with kids.
