NEWPORT – The BankNewport Charitable Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to Jamestown Community Farm to support the purchase of 15 acres of farmland in the heart of Conanicut Island.
The grant, part of the foundation’s One Chance Campaign, will help the farm’s long-term goal of acquiring permanent farmland and help sustain its mission of providing fresh produce to food-insecure families throughout Rhode Island, said BankNewport CEO and President Jack Murphy.
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“Jamestown Community Farm has become a vital food source and a model of grassroots community resilience,” Murphy said. “We’re proud to invest in a project that not only protects essential farmland but also guarantees a steady supply of healthy, local produce to Rhode Islanders who need it most.”
Jamestown Community Farm, founded more than 20 years ago by Bob and Lynda Sutton, has grown into a successful nonprofit that donates 11 to 14 tons of vegetables each year to local food pantries.
The farm runs year-round with support from interns and volunteers, using sustainable methods that rely on natural growing techniques instead of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.
Weekly harvests are delivered to partners across the state, including McAuley House in Providence, the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Newport, the Johnny Cake Center in South Kingstown and the Jamestown Community Pantry.
The One Chance Campaign aims to permanently secure and preserve the farmland that Jamestown Community Farm has cultivated for the past 23 years.
The total campaign goal of $4.45 million will fund the land acquisition and establish an operational endowment, according to the foundation.
The BankNewport grant will be used to help meet annual payment obligations under the purchase agreement, which guarantees JCF future ownership of the farmland.
Matthew McNulty is a PBN staff writer. He can be reached at McNulty@PBN.com or on X at @MattMcNultyNYC.
BRAVO BankNewport!