Lynn Duncan, sponsorship coordinator for the Hyacks Football Team in New Westminster, noticed that it has become more difficult to raise funds from corporate sponsorships compared to the previous years. "The timing couldn’t be worse. With the current state of the economy, fundraisers need to come up with creative ways of developing partnerships with the business community," adds Duncan.

In order to address the needs of many organizations that knocked on their door for sponsorships, Kin’s Farm Market has created the Freshness Card Fundraising Program. "This is such a great program, because it is a win-win situation for both, the non-profit organization and for the expansion of our company. This is a great way to introduce new customers to our stores, while helping more and more organizations in need," says Vivian Cheung, Kin’s Marketing Associate. "It is important to point out that because of the nature of the fundraiser, this program will definitely allow us to reach out to a larger number of organizations in need, which is key in times such as this," adds Lia Fletcher, Kin’s Marketing Manager.

The program works as follows. Participating organizations sell Kin’s Freshness Card to their friends and family, who will be purchasing "money for money". It is similar to purchasing a gift card that can be used in any Kin’s Farm Market location. Kin’s Farm Market, in turn, makes a donation to the participating organization based on the total sales of the cards.

The Vancouver Hebrew Academy is thrilled with this program. Even though the school is fully accredited and registered with the British Columbia Ministry of Education, it receives less government funding than other schools, so Kin’s support came at a fortunate time. "We are very pleased to participate in Kin’s fundraising program. The funds raised from this will help buy educational supplies for classrooms," says Meira Pacht, co-chair of the Academy’s PTA.

Kin’s Farm Market has been an active supporter of schools, sports teams and nonprofit organizations for many years. Their charitable efforts are dedicated to bringing about positive changes in the areas of wellness, healthy eating and sustainable living. For more information please contact Kin’s Farm Market at donations@kinsfarmmarket.com.