In 2021, the Piedmont Triad Regional Food Council (PTRFC) opened applications for shared gifting micro-grants in 4 counties: Alamance, Caswell, Davidson, and Forsyth. Due to a limited application response, the council awarded 5 micro-grants to organizations in Forsyth County only.

The goal of shared gifting is to help you build connections in your community and become active participants in the decision-making process! Through this unique process, applicants have the power to decide where the money goes. You can learn more about the shared gifting concept by watching this short video or reading an article.

The 2021 awarded projects and updates are below:

1. Hope2Thrive has a mission to inspire hope for all communities to thrive in health and wellbeing. They are building sustainable food production systems, which involves cultural classes and hands-on gardening, creating local jobs and nurturing entrepreneurs with opportunity. Hope2Thrive was awarded funds that provided staff time to help manage volunteers, secure a chicken coop, and fees for a certified bee keeper certificate, completed in April 2022.

2. Neighborhood's Hands mission is to enhance the quality of life to all residents of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Their slogan is "feeding and educating all." The awarded funds provided tools, vegetable and herb flower seeds, and fertilizer for the community garden.

3. Island CultureZ is a community-driven development hub for building back community wealth in historically neglected and excluded communities in Winston-Salem. Their mission is to nurture community self-resilience through working in unison to overcome poverty and oppression. The funds awarded through shared gifting have been earmarked at Mechanics and Farmers Bank as they continue to build matching funds to host their own shared gifting circle for grassroots agriculturalists.

4. The Good Stuff (non-profit organization) for Cobblestone Farmers Market is dedicated to significantly increasing equitable access to local, sustainably grown food in Winston-Salem and growing our regional food economy by creating nurturing, diverse, thriving marketplaces. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the usage of SNAP EBT, P-EBT, Senior FMNP and WIC FMNP at the Cobblestone Farmers Market increased 100% and that incredible demand for local food by low-income residents of the community also increased the matching funds budget to $14K in 2021- double what it had been in 2019. The Shared Gifting award supported these matching funds. "The funding from the Shared Gifting award improves our ability to continue to provide matching funds for hundreds of families in our community. With $1375 in matching funds, nearly 46 WIC FMNP families could double the $30 received once per season to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmers market through the Health Department OR nearly 138 SNAP EBT or P-EBT users could receive their $10 extra per week to spend on local food products."

5. Earthwood Urban Farm had a project goal to teach and encourage neighbors on the East side of Winston-Salem to grow food in the space they have- where they live. With awarded funds from shared gifting, they were able to provide 6 families with necessary supplies to get started (containers, soil, plants, and/or seeds) and one 4x4 raised bed. The remainder of funds provided for the purchase and construction of a tool shed, which will house tools for gardeners to borrow. "The project got us on the list of gardens with NC Cooperative Extension, and we received ample number of seed packets for spring planting. I have begun to distribute the seeds to gardeners. I was inspired by the excitement of the families to participate, get into it, and enjoy it. Interest continues to grow as neighbors talk to others."