Veterans United Donor Spotlight by: Adam Saunders
Three big splashes from Veterans United for urban agriculture in Columbia, MO in 2021
2021 has been a big year of collaboration and giving for Veterans United Foundation and Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture. The VU Foundation made THREE major contributions to the work of CCUA!
$40,000 in “row sponsors” for the 2021 Planting for the Pantry campaign. All the food grown at the Veterans Urban Farm and at Columbia’s Agriculture Park is donated to hunger relief in the community. The CCUA urban farmers are on track to donate over 35,000 pounds of fresh produce in 2021. These donations are made possible by the generous donors who sponsor the many rows at the two urban farms. VU led the pack of row sponsors in 2021 with 33 and ⅓ rows being sponsored!
$100,000 to help finish off the Fund-Raise The Roof mini-campaign to extend the MU Health Care Pavilion roof. In early spring 2021 a goal of $250,000 was set to fully fund the roof expansion. With the support of the VU Foundation over $383,000 was raised! Construction of the east and west extensions of the pavilion will occur during the winter of 2022/2023.
$102,000 for CCUA’s Veteran’s Urban Farm to build out ADA accessible teaching gardens and provide paid apprenticeships to local Veterans to work/learn at the Veterans Urban Farm in 2022. CCUA’s launched a collaboration with the Truman VA Hospital in 2020 to operate the 1.3 acre, 11 year old urban farm owned by Mark and Carol Stevenson. The Veteran focused programming occurs on site and all the produce that is grown there is distributed to Veterans organizations and the Truman VA Hospital for free. The special project funded by Veterans United Foundation in honor of the 10th anniversary of the VU Foundation will establish an ADA accessible teaching garden and also create a new apprenticeship avenue for Veterans to work, learn, and serve the community at the Veterans Urban Farm.
Beyond these three major gifts, CCUA and VU collaborate with the VU Summer Immersion Intern Program. A group of college interns working with VU met regularly with the CCUA team to explore wellness/programming collaborations with the larger VU network of employees and their families. This summer program culminated with a trial run of a “Make Your Own Pizza Party” at Columbia’s Agriculture park with Pizza Tree’s mobile pizza oven. Not only did this event help CCUA test a new hands-on programming format, it was a fun team building opportunity for the VU summer interns and VU staff.
Veterans United, their foundation, and Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture have been collaborating on special projects, volunteer service projects, and health promotion programming for the last 7 years. The new 10 acre venue of Columbia’s Agriculture Park including the large MU Health Care Pavilion, as well as the 2020 transition of the 1.3 acre urban farm to the “Veterans Urban Farm” have opened more doors to partnership and collaboration.
“Veterans United Foundation is an amazing partner in the community, not just for CCUA or for Columbia, but for the countless communities and Veteran focused organizations around the country. We’re honored to be a collaborator and grateful for the generosity of the foundation and for the time that VU employees have volunteered with us at the Urban Farm.” Billy Polanksy, Executive Director of Columbia Center of Urban Agriculture.
“We love what CCUA is doing in the community!” said Carolyn Flock Senior Foundation Coordinator. “The wide range of activities and thoughtful coordination with many partners is a great draw for the VU Foundation.”
For more information about how to give to CCUA, please go to ColumbiaUrbanAg.org/donate
P.S. You’re invited to a Giving Tuesday Happy Hour on November 30th from 4-6 p.m.! The CCUA team will be kicking off the CoMOGives end of year event with free beer/wine/pizza party! Get this fun FREE event on your calendar by clicking www.ColumbiaUrbanAg.org/rsvp
