Programs

In keeping with our mission, we have developed important programs and partnerships that further our goal of improving access to healthy, local food.

Can-Do Kitchen

The Can-Do Kitchen is the area's only food business incubator and commercial kitchen. It supports food entrepreneurs by providing a low-risk environment, connecting to business-building resources, partnering with business counselors, hosting promotional tasting events, offering food safety training, facilitating wholesale ingredient orders, and more. We serve dozens of small food businesses and cooking classes and our kitchen is available for catering, cooking parties, cooking shows or video taping, workplace and team building exercises, product testing and staff training, and wherever your imagination leads!

Douglass Farmers' Market

The Douglass Farmers' Market was established in 2011 to increase access to healthy local food in the Northside neighborhood of Kalamazoo. It has since expanded to become a weekly summer market, and continues to build community by connecting consumers with local producers.

Growing Matters Garden Program

Our urban educational gardening program empowers, engages and educates local youth and the larger community with hands-on learning opportunities. A garden is a great place for people to come together, learn to raise food, and understand the ecology of sustainable growing.

Southwest Michigan Community Harvest Fest

Fair Food Matters has teamed with other organizations for several years to present this one-day celebration of local food, local farming and sustainable living. Featuring speakers, demonstrations, exhibitors, music, food and family activities, it's a regional happening!

Partnerships

Common Ground

Common Ground is a collaboration between Fair Food Matters, the Kalamazoo County Land Bank, Kalamazoo County MSU Extension/Master Gardeners and the Kalamazoo Nature Center. This network aims to support community gardens throughout Kalamazoo County, with a special emphasis on those that serve low-income and food-insecure residents.

Good Food Kalamazoo

Good Food Kalamazoo is a growing coalition of individuals and organizations working toward a healthy local food system in Kalamazoo County. The group was inspired by the Michigan Good Food Charter to engage and empower our community to provide itself with food that is healthy, green, fair, and affordable.