The Hip rocks in support of good-food initiative

 In Community, News

Despite last Saturday’s heat warning and threats of thunderstorms, The New Farm’s annual fundraiser in support of Grow for The Stop went off without a hitch. The evening brought fantastic food, music, friends and community together to celebrate and support access to good food.

750 guests dined on local food served by talented chefs who volunteered their time to the event.  Participating restaurants included Toronto-based Momofuku, Ascari Enotecha, Jamie Kennedy and Vertical; along with Collingwood’s Azzura and The Pottery; and Creemore’s Matt Flett; all serving up delicious fare while Union Duke preformed from the top of a small hill in front of the house. 

After dinner, guests moved over to the barn for a live auction. Cleared out of all farm equipment and strung with strands and strands of twinkle lights, the barn was magical. At 9 p.m, bathed in red and purple stage lighting, the surprise headliner of the evening opened their show.  From their first chord to their last, The Tragically Hip rocked a set list crammed with iconic Hip songs while guests enthusiastically sang and danced.

Since 2009, The New Farm and The Stop Community Food Centre, located in Toronto’s Davenport West neighbourhood, have partnered to ensure that good quality, local produce is available to people who would not otherwise be able to afford it. Money raised through this program allows The Stop to purchase New Farm produce at fair market value and use the food in their front line and community kitchen programs. The partnership highlights the connections between farmers and urban communities, strengthens sustainable rural farming and promotes good environmental practices.

As Rachel Gray, Executive Director of The Stop explains, “Our partnership with The New Farm does a couple of really important things. Grow for The Stop means we get fabulous, local, organic produce for our community meals and food bank hampers. Because we buy from The New Farm, it means we also support sustainable local farming practices.  It’s an important disruption of the traditional charity model which often gives away bad food. We are committed to getting really good food into the hands of people who are most food insecure and we love putting our purchasing power in the right places, like with The New Farm.”

The event is run by over 50 local volunteers who take care of almost everything including all the logistics, setting up tents, serving food and drink, accepting tickets at the gate and helping guests park in the one field that is not planted with The New Farm’s signature greens. 

“We are so appreciative of and overwhelmed by the huge support we get from the local community in order to host this event,” says Gillian Flies who owns and runs The New Farm along with her husband, Brent Preston. “This was our 7th fundraiser for Grow for The Stop and we couldn’t do any of it without our volunteers and generous sponsors. We are so, so happy with this partnership and this year’s successful event.”

Tickets were a hot commodity and sold out within seconds of going on sale to the public. Last year,  $47,000 was raised, but early number crunching this year indicates that the goal of $60,000 was easily met and likely surpassed.   

Anticipation of next year’s Grow for The Stop event is already mounting and plans are underway, but Gray from The Stop pauses to reflect on and be thankful for how much work is involved,

“I am always inspired by how people really step up to support places like The Stop and this program with The New Farm. Gillian and Brent bring so much personal and community energy into creating and running this event every year and we at The Stop are so grateful for their commitment.”  

For more information about The Stop visit www.thestop.org or The New Farm www.thenewfarm.ca.

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