Our direct giving program, where Lufavores and local food security meet.
On December 24, 2020, we launched our Direct Giving Program so that individuals and families in need could have access to fresh, local, responsible food by customizing their own weekly baskets. To help choose the first 100 families, we joined forces with four local non-profits: Women on the Rise, Native Montreal, Native Women's Shelter of Montreal, and West Island Mission, all working to combat food insecurity in and around Montreal.
How we’re contributing to local food security, in the most direct way possible.
By using our own infrastructure, we operate at no extra cost and can be 100% efficient in helping our community, making sure every dollar contributed is used in full to help feed a family in need. The program is supported by Lufavore contributions that are pooled and redistributed, so that each family receives $25 per family member in credits per each week to spend on the Marketplace, along with 50% off on all fruits and vegetables.
With the help of Lufavores, we’re feeding 100 families and growing.
We’ve just wrapped up the trial phase of this project and gathered feedback from organizations, community members, and Lufavores over the last few months. We're now ready to grow the program. To start, we've officially launched a page on our website dedicated to the Direct Giving Program, where you can find answers to any questions you might have, learn more about each organization involved, and browse comments from families who are part of the program. We’ve also added more transparency and tracking in account settings, showing Lufavores exactly where their contributions are going and how they can continue to support these families.
How it works, how you can join, and where it goes from here.
Any Lufavore can make a one-time or weekly contribution, and Super Lufavores can also choose to donate their year-end Giveback credits. Since the program launched, 96 families have received 818 baskets using $104,632.10 in contributions from Lufavores on top of our 50% off fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s been incredible to see this project come to life, and the plan is to keep growing it with more organizations, families, and Lufavores involved every step of the way. For the full story and the latest stats, check out the Direct Giving Program page.
We’re now welcoming 50 new families from Chic Resto Pop, Maison Benoit Labre, and Les Fourchettes de l'Espoir. Calling all Lufavores! Update your contributions and track the community pool in your account settings to see what’s needed to support these and more families each week.
If you’d like to suggest any local organizations to support or have any other feedback, write us at community@lufa.com.
Earlier this week, our team met with community members from West Island Mission and Women on the Rise at our Ahuntsic greenhouse to get first-hand feedback on the program so far. Here are some photos from the visit and a glimpse of what they and some of their members had to say...
"I am filled with gratitude to be chosen to receive such an amazing donation. Eating healthy is a high concern for myself and children being a nursing student. I have the knowledge yet lack of finances to make it happen. So I want to thank you, everyone at West Island Mission and Lufa Farms for providing myself and my family with nutritious food. I will certainly pay it forward when I am in a position to do so." - C.J., Direct Giving Program member, Pierrefonds.
"The Direct Giving Program comes at a crucial time for our members when food banks are overwhelmed and donations are down." - Maria Bautista, head of community donations and partnerships, Women on the Rise.
"Lufa Farms program is great! Thank you so much for allowing our family to be fed through healing and difficult times." - J.A. Direct Giving Program member, Laval.
"The Direct Giving program goes hand in hand with our garden program and allows us to continue to offer fresh, locally grown food through the regular non-growing months. It helps affirm and confirm our commitment to providing a quality product." - Suzanne Scarrow, Executive director, West Island Mission.
