Fwd: Special Invitation: FEAST For Our Future - a harvest dinner at Rock Steady š» š
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Nada Khader
From: Maggie Cheney <mag...@rocksteadyfarm.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 31, 2025 at 7:52āÆAM
Subject: Special Invitation: FEAST For Our Future - a harvest dinner at Rock Steady š» š š„
To: Nada Khader <wespacfo...@gmail.com>
I hope you are doing well this summer given what a changing year it has been for so many. I know it has been a while since we were in touch,Ā itĀ has been amazing toĀ stillĀ continue ourĀ partnership with Ruby and the Free People's Market,Ā after all these years!Ā
I am emailing to invite you to "Feast for Our Future", an upcoming dinner experience supporting Rock Steady Farm on September 20th, 4-7pm, in our beautiful farm field!
We will be setting up a gorgeous long table in the field, during sunset, for about 50-75 people in our donor community to feast together.Ā Invites are going out to both long standing supporters and foundations as well as brand new folks. We will be hosting special guest chefs, have a selection of donated beverages, speakers that ground us in our vision for the future, and an optional farm tour. More details to come.Ā
We all feel the heaviness of this time as we collectively weather and process the impacts of this administration. Yet now, halfway through the year, we are counting our blessings and reflecting on the ways our community showed up for us earlier this Spring. Despite major funding cuts, uncertainties and forced pivots, we received an outpouring of support from our community, which has enabled our programs and farming to continue this year. In fact, it is moments like this that we further understand the impact and importance of our work. People were reaching out in every way imaginable, it was clear our community was not about to see us fall.
We invite you to join us this September in dreaming, celebrating, and creating the future weāre building together.Ā We will reflect on the farmās last ten years, and look ahead at the groundbreaking transformations to come as we co-create a future in which BIPOC and LGBTQ+ farmers thrive in a food system rooted in sovereignty and equity.Ā
As we all know, funding for farms, food access, sustainability, and programs benefiting marginalized people have been slashed. Locally, a worsening housing crisis in the Hudson Valley and soon increased healthcare costs are driving a drastic increase in cost of living, causing us to raise wages and benefits significantly for our staff in order to keep everyone in the area.Ā Our fundraising goals for 2026 and beyond are large, but doable with both your support and your ability to bring in new folks to our work.
Additionally, we are now officially allowed to announce that the largeĀ USDA infrastructure grant, that we are financially holding for the Webatuck Valley Farm Collaborative, has been awarded to us! The $2.5 million is unfrozen! We are all proud to say that we received the largest award in the State. We will soon be building out a regional food hub for our QTBIPOC farming community. We will speak to this huge project, its impact on Rock Steady's programs over the next few years, and this pivotal moment of growth. Do not miss this opportunity to hear directly from us on all that we are doing.
We hopeĀ youĀ can join us, and equally as important, we ask that you pleaseĀ invite 2 other peopleĀ to this event.Ā Please pass on the attached flyer!Ā We hope to cultivate a group of committed new donors to support the work into our next chapter. Expanding our community of support will be integral to the years ahead, and we really need your help to do it.Ā This is a critical moment for Rock Steady, this is why we are choosing, during the height of harvest season, to prioritize our fundraising needs.
With Gratitude,
Maggie
