TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. — On Dec. 31, 2013, Tahoe Food Hub (TFH) completed a two-and-a-half month crowdfunding campaign to buy a refrigerated delivery van.

The effort raised more than $28K via a combination of online donations, business sponsorships and private donations.

A crowdfunding campaign aggregates small donations from many people to achieve a financial goal for a specific project within a specific amount of time. For this campaign, individual donors will receive thank you gifts including custom Big Truck hats with the Tahoe Food Hub logo, Squaw/Alpine lift tickets and $25 club cards to spend at local restaurants which source from the Tahoe Food Hub.

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“When people see the van drive around town, they will see their donation at work and know they helped play a critical part in bringing local farm food to our community,” said Susie Sutphin, director of the Tahoe Food Hub. “A refrigerated delivery van is the first thing you need when creating a regional distribution system. It ensures the food can travel safely to North Lake Tahoe’s restaurants, small grocers and schools.”

The crowd fund campaign was developed in partnership with Tahoe Food Hub’s fiscal sponsor, Sierra Business Council (SBC).

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“We are honored to support and partner with the Tahoe Food Hub,” said Steve Frisch, president of SBC. “SBC’s role in the community is to develop and support ‘on the ground’ local projects that promote, develop and amplify the area’s social, natural and economic capital.

“The Tahoe Food Hub is a perfect example of an effort that is great for the community and for the environment while also creating local jobs and helping local businesses.”

Sierra Business Council is developing a model to work with other nonprofits and local businesses in the region looking to expand their reach and capacity. Learn more about SBC by visiting them at sierrabusiness.org.

SUPPORT EQUALS SUCCESS

The success of the fundraiser would not have been possible without the generous support of local businesses.

A big thank you goes to Squaw Valley Ski Resort for donating lift tickets and creating a special promotional video.

Truckee Tahoe Lumber and Kelly Brothers Painting sponsored the Hub Club Card, which contributors can redeem at local restaurants that buy from the Food Hub. Special appreciation goes to the restaurants that not only buy food from the Tahoe Food Hub but also donated to the campaign, including Mamasake, Rocker@Squaw, Christy Hill, Fireside Pizza, Dragonfly, Resort at Squaw Creek and Full Belly Deli.

Other local businesses showed their support by hosting fundraising events. Tahoe Mountain Sports in Kings Beach and Uncorked in Truckee hosted events where customers could learn about the Tahoe Food Hub’s goals and plans. In addition, MWA Architects of Truckee made a $2,500 challenge grant for online donors.

For more information about the Tahoe Food Hub, visit http://www.tahoefoodhub.org.

Tahoe Food Hub is focused on food security. By taking advantage of North Lake Tahoe’s close proximity to year-round food, it creates a hub for farmers and markets to buy and sell regionally produced food.

“We have an abundant foodshed within 100 miles of North Lake Tahoe. The Food Hub can reduce the distance food has to travel to reach us, while supporting small, sustainable farms and helping us eat healthier too,” says Alexis Ollar, Tahoe Food Hub board member and director of Mountain Area Preservation.

Tahoe Food Hub also strives to ensure equal access to the food it sources and supports innovative new ways to grow food locally. It contributes food regularly to Project MANA, North Lake Tahoe’s hunger relief organization and provides tours and workshops on four-season growing methods at its Sierra Agroecology Center and Growing Dome.

Learn more by visiting tahoefoodhub.org.