Our future begins today, and the outcome of that future is largely dependent on our decisions of yesterday. For GreenStone, making the choice to strengthen communities through compassion and generosity, supporting youth by investing in education and empowering future generations with the tools to be successful are all simple choices. Each decision GreenStone makes as a leader in the agriculture industry, as a fellow rural community neighbor and as a member-owned cooperative, are all made with the future in mind.
This future-focused mindset extends to our dedicated team of staff members who are continuously supporting local communities. Through our 35 branches and association-wide efforts, we contribute time and resources to a variety of organizations aligning with our focus of building a stronger tomorrow. Last year, over 3,400 hours and $615,000 were dedicated to the community through local events, time spent with youth, helping at county fairs, giving back to veterans, supporting dairy programs, and more, equating to over four months of time dedicated to creating a brighter future!
In addition to the numerous year-round activities, GreenStone donated to the American Red Cross through the local Mid-Michigan Region and Northeast Wisconsin Chapter through the cooperative’s Member Grown Outreach program. In partnership with American Red Cross, GreenStone held a blood drive to amplify their support and receive donations to help save nearly 50 lives.
Beyond community giving, GreenStone knows investing in education of future leaders is essential in sustaining agriculture’s long-term success. Supporting young people interested in pursuing a career in agriculture is pivotal and in 2022 GreenStone awarded $40,000 in scholarships to students pursuing a career in the industry, bringing the cooperative’s total scholarship commitments since 2010 to over $375,000. The cooperative also provides personal development opportunities through continuous internship opportunities to dozens of students.
Supporting urban producers is critical in advancing equity and maintaining sustainability for future generations. In addition to traditional internships and scholarships, GreenStone again partnered with the Friendship & Alliance Scholarship Program, a collaborative program between Detroit, the Bahama's and Florida A & M, providing education, internships and laptops to help prepare students for school at Florida A & M, a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). Each student is also invited to experience agriculture through farm tours and work experiences. GreenStone coordinated internship opportunities for each student either with GreenStone or at other agri-businesses in Michigan.
GreenStone’s commitment to expanding urban agriculture extends beyond youth and college students. One way GreenStone is helping ensure minorities and urban producers have the tools and resources to succeed, GreenStone has actively partnered with Michigan State University Extension – Beginning Farmer Programming on a variety of resources such as the 2022 webinar series, Farm Business Record Keeping for the Global Majority, a virtual course for farmers of color to learn about business financials and barriers in farming.
Beyond these individual partnerships, GreenStone’s dedication to future generations is rooted in our understanding that it’s our responsibility as a leader in agriculture to provide resources, opportunities and power through knowledge. With this in mind, we are committed to helping farmers of color, veterans, women, minorities, and young, beginning or small farmers overcome common challenges by connecting them to valuable resources and partnering with organizations with a similar goal. In 2022 alone, GreenStone contributed more than $80,000 in support to organizations to continue providing farmers with the tools to be successful. This support is in addition to GreenStone’s annual commitment of $40,000 in grant funding through the cooperative’s CultivateGrowth programming.
Decisions made today will be reflected in the future of our local communities, in today’s youth, and through the next generation of farmers. GreenStone is proud to continue building and moving forward to a promising tomorrow by giving back and choosing to partner with organizations that support agriculture and rural communities.
Here are some highlights from GreenStone's commitment to outreach in 2022:
- 4,510 total volunteer hours
- $718,800 in community donations
- 658 organizations and events
- $40,000 awarded in scholarships to students pursuing a career in the agricultural industry
- $146,500 in support to educational opportunities, mentorships and resources supporting the growth and success of young, beginning and small farmers
This article was originally published in GreenStone's 2022 annual report. You can view the annual report in its entirety here.
