Social Charity Club to hold fundraiser benefiting farmers market

"Eat, Drink, and Socialize" and the Fulton Street Farmer’s Market (FSFM) will benefit. The Social Charity Club of Grand Rapids is holding their next event Thursday, February 9th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Ottawa Tavern (151 Ottawa Avenue NW). A donation of $10 at the door to the FSFM Our Goodness is Growing Capital Campaign and you’ll receive a ticket redeemable for a complimentary drink. FSFM gets to keep the entire $10 and you get to enjoy a beverage and some great company.

The Social Charity Club of Grand Rapids was formed in May of 2011 as a way to give back to local non-profits. The group has raised over $6700 for unique, local non-profits including Kids Food Basket, Safe Haven Ministries, and West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology (WMCAT).

“Our monthly events are a fun and easy way to get involved. We hope that you learn about a new local nonprofit while experiencing an exciting local venue with good friends,” says Whitney Budden, one of the Social Charity Club’s organizers.

The Midtown Neighborhood Association, which oversees the FSFM, is in the final public portion of a $2.6 million capital campaign to renovate the market. The renovation, which is already underway, will add a permanent canopy over the market, improve traffic flow of both cars and people, make the site ADA accessible and fix flooding issues. Funds were secured to complete the infrastructure improvements and build the permanent shed, but approximately $500,000 is still needed to construct the permanent indoor vending space that will sit at the south end of the market.

In addition to these infrastructure improvements, the FSFM continues to become more accessible to all residents of our community. In 2009, the market began a program to accept Electronic Bridge Transfer payments and debit/credit cards and that year processed ~$40,000 in payments. In 2011, FSFM processed nearly $400,000 in payments, including $140,000 in EBT payments and $107,000 in “Double-Up Food Bucks”, a private grant program that allowed nearly every $1 in EBT spending to be “doubled” for $2 in market tokens.

These programs have allowed market patrons to expand their support of our local vendors. It has also allowed low-income residents of GR access to fresh, healthy food they may not have been able to find or afford.

We hope that you can join us on Thursday, February 9th at the Ottawa Tavern! Continue to watch for other fundraising events in the coming months.

Follow the Social Charity Club of Grand Rapids on Facebook, or RSVP for the event (not required).