Providence Farm Collective (PFC) grew from the Somali Bantu Community Farm, a three-year pilot launched in 2017 to address inequities in farmland and fresh-food access.
Hearing the parallel needs and challenges experienced by other people who are refugees, immigrants, Black, Indigenous, and people of color, PFC was established in 2019 as a non-profit umbrella organization with a mission of cultivating farmer-led and community-rooted agriculture and food systems to actualize the rights of under-resourced peoples.
PFC is the only non-profit in Western New York that directly supports our communities with access to rural farmland, farming and business education, technical assistance, markets, and the opportunity to farm for income. Through its programs, PFC helps to uplift the next generation of diverse agricultural entrepreneurs and community farmers with an emphasis on promoting self-sufficiency and advancing ecological and human health.
Many community members voice the same reasons for farming at PFC:
- To build fresh food and economic security within their communities
- To grow culturally relevant crops key to food traditions
- To connect to agricultural heritage
- To enjoy the outdoors
- And to reap the physical and mental health benefits the farm provides.
Our Impact
275
Farmers
21
Farms
8757
Pounds of produce donated
8,000
Individuals accessed food grown at PFC
Learn more about our impact and results Click here
History
In 2022, PFC is supporting 21 small farms under its umbrella, welcoming new farmers from the Ethiopian and Bangladeshi communities. With the support of grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, PFC launched its own farmers market on Grant Street in the City of Buffalo and is providing assistance to farmers in the procurement of culturally-relevant vegetables by the Buffalo Public Schools.
PFC is also partnering with Western New York Land Conservancy on a campaign to Plant the Future of Farming. The Land Conservancy is an accredited, regional, not-for-profit land trust that works with landowners, municipalities, and organizations to help them conserve their most cherished natural areas and working farms. Together, our organizations are raising funds to purchase and permanently protect the 37 acres of prime farmland PFC currently leases and add necessary infrastructure upgrades to support long-term sustainability.
Our Values
Equity
We believe that equity is built through access to opportunities, resources and empowerment.
Inclusiveness
We respect people, value diversity, and nurture belonging.
Grassroots
We are committed to empowering communities to move towards self-determination and self-governance; making decisions that respect and honor cultural traditions and approaches to problem solving.
Education
We believe knowledge is the gateway to a better future that leads to security, stability, empathy and understanding.