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This is the first in a series of articles about the Davie Community Foundation and its work in the county.

Did you know the Davie Community Foundation accepts grant requests annually through its Community Grants cycle for projects that make a positive impact in Davie County?

Applications are due Fe. 1 each year. In 2021, the foundation has awarded $236,779 to agencies and non-profit organizations in the community

This summer the foundation is partnering with N.C. Cooperative Extension and others to bring a mobile farmers market to Cooleemee and Mocksville. Davie’s federally identified urban food desert is in the heart of Mocksville; however, residents in the northern, western, and southern regions of the county continue to have limited access to fresh foods.

A diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and regular physical activity are necessary for optimal health. Poor quality diets significantly contribute to the chronic health conditions seen today, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease – all prevalent in the county.

The N.C. Cooperative Extension is working to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables and thus improve health in the community.

The market is unique in that it accepts food stamp payments (SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) from customers ensuring those living in poverty have access to healthy foods. The program helps residents in Cooleemee and Mocksville have access to fresh fruits and vegetables but it also helps local farmers. Produce is purchased from farmers on Tuesdays and refrigerated for the mobile markets on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The markets offer recipe cards and samples from time to time to give residents a taste of different fresh foods and ideas for meal planning.

Visit the Mobile Farmers Market on Wednesdays in Cooleemee at The Bridge, 197 Main St. from 9-11 a.m. and Thursdays in the parking lot of the Davie County Library in Mocksville from 9-11 a.m. This is an example of how community grants help the community.

The Davie Community Foundation “inspires philanthropy to strengthen Davie County for present and future generations.”

The foundation is working to promote a spirit of giving in the community and build a permanent endowment invested forever. Earnings from the endowment will benefit Davie organizations and projects that are important to you. The foundation accepts gifts in any amount, at any time: for an existing fund, the Community Scholarship Fund, or the Davie Community Impact Fund. A variety of options for establishment of named funds in honor or memory are also available.

To learn more, contact Jane Simpson at (336) 753-6903 or jsimpson@daviefoundation.org or visit www.daviefoundation.org.