About The Campaign

Imagine sitting on a bench in the shade of an apple tree, biting into a fresh peach you just bought from the farmers' market.

Imagine three acres of fruits and vegetables growing to feed hungry families in our community.

Imagine a year-round farmers' market that feeds families in Columbia while supporting the livelihoods of family farmers in central Missouri.

Imagine a school field trip with hundreds of children harvesting lettuce and carrots that will be a part of their lunch.

Imagine the next generation of family farmers and backyard gardeners getting their hands in the dirt for the first time.

Imagine a versatile community space that can host a farmers' market, a picnic, a wedding reception, or conference.

Imagine a park that will Build This Town's future.

This campaign is moving forward through a collaborative public-private partnership called Friends of the Farm. The partnership brings together city government with private not-for-profit organizations, allowing the Friends of the Farm to be more effective. Underutilized land and infrastructure owned by the city will be rejuvenated by the interactive programs and activities organized and managed by the non-profit partners.

Building the Community Welcome Center: The Last Piece of the Puzzle

The last phase of construction to build this town is the Community Welcome Center. The Community Welcome Center will improve access to healthy, locally-grown foods in our community and provide a space for community gathering. The most visible resources/services this new building will provide include:

A resource library- Volunteers and staff will be available to answer questions about gardening and food preparation. Community members can sign up for CCUA's Programs
A commercial community kitchen- Families and food entrepreneurs can rent this commercial kitchen space to launch their food business. Food grown at the Park will be processed into pre-cooked meals & kits. Kits will be distributed at the Food Bank's Central Pantry, improving access of healthy food for low-income individuals.
An activity room- A large event hall will host educational programs year-round. The space will also be available to public and private groups to host community events and programs - an opportunity for more collaborations at the Park.
Free tool checkout- Gardening tools like tillers and potato forks, home kitchen equipment like food processors and canners, and books can be checked out for FREE through a partnership with Daniel Boone Regional Library.
Office space- Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture and Columbia Farmers Market will use this space to coordinate impactful food security programs that support Veterans, food-insecure families, farmers, and people suffering from diet-related diseases.
Permanent space is needed to continue this important work and respond to the demand for these programs. Please consider making a major gift to this important project. You can make a lasting impact on the community and invest in the future of healthy food, our working mid-Missouri farm lands, and hands-on education. This is the fabric of what makes our community great and resilient in a changing world.