The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) announces collaboration with approximately 70 restaurants, food markets, and food cooperatives throughout Vermont for the 20th annual “Share the Harvest” fundraising event. On Thursday, October 2nd, participating restaurants and food stores will donate a percentage of their sales to NOFA-VT’s Farm Share Program.

The Farm Share Program is dedicated to working with Vermont individuals who cannot afford to purchase fresh, local produce on a regular basis. All funds raised on October 2nd will benefit these individuals by subsidizing the cost of up to 22 weeks of farm-fresh produce from local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms.

The Farm Share program has been helping limited-income Vermonters purchase food from local farms since 1994. In those 20 years, thousands of individuals and families have benefited from a season’s worth of locally grown vegetables and fruits as well as farm education initiatives. In 2014, over 1,400 individuals and families have been served, leveraging over $73,000 of income for Vermont farmers.

For a full statewide listing of participating restaurants, co-ops, and food stores, and to learn more about the Farm Share program visit www.nofavt.org/STH or call NOFA-VT at 802-434-4122. The Northeast Organic Farming Association is an organization of farmers, gardeners and consumers working to promote an economically viable and ecologically sound Vermont food system.

Following is a list of participating central Vermont locations:

Bradford: Colatina Exit, Local Buzz

Hardwick: Buffalo Mountain Food Co-op

Middlesex: Nutty Steph’s

Montpelier: Capitol Grounds, Hunger Mountain Co-op, Sarducci’s, The Skinny Pancake

The Bee’s Knees, Morrisville

Plainfield: The Plainfield Co-op, Positive Pie Plainfield

South Royalton: South Royalton Market

Stowe: Harvest Market, Laughing Moon Chocolates

Waitsfield: American Flatbread, Three Mountain Cafe

Waterbury: Arvad’s, Prohibition Pig, Tanglewoods, Hen of the Wood