Eight Ways to Keep Our Local Food Community Going

We’ve always said that “every little bit helps.” Here are eight ways you can keep us and our local food community going.  (Click on links for full information.)

 

CSAs - many of which are offering single box options and new pick-up and delivery choices

Bakers, Caterers, Meat Shops, Wineries, Nurseries, Farm-Direct and More (see Good Food Finder AZ, Fill Your Plate and our listings).

 

Many businesses are offering pre-order, pick-up and delivery, even if they have not done so in the past, so check their websites and social media for the latest info.

Restaurants can now provide wine, beer and cocktails to go.

It helps companies' bottom lines if you order from the business directly rather than going through delivery services that saddle them with commissions, but every order contributes.

Pre-ordering is encouraged and new rules are in effect for farmers markets.

 

Gift cards for later use (ideally in 2021) from the business or see Arizona Republic

U-Fund-Me requests, see our daily news updates, GoFundMe.com and Arizona Foodie.

Donate to relief efforts: The USBG Bartender Emergency Assistance Program is offering grants to bartenders affected by the virus (USBG non-members are also eligible). Meanwhile, One Fair Wage has launched an Emergency Fund to provide immediate assistance to restaurant employees. The James Beard Foundation is establishing a restaurant relief fund. American Farmland Trust has $1,000 farmer grants. Restaurant Employee Relief Fund is accepting donations now, applications on April 2.

 

Talk up your favorite takeout restaurants, local providers and more on social media so your friends know they are still in business.  Like, tag, comment and repost.

For offers and updates, see our specials and LFAZ.

 

They have a critical need for cash donations and volunteers.

 

5. Advocate

Readers have the juice to advocate for a restaurant bailout. There are a few Change.org petitions circulating now, but a more effective angle would be reaching out to representatives and senators—via letters, emails and direct tweets—to push for government action.  See Saverestaurants.co  for the latest and talking points.

 

Sign this petition if you're a small Arizona business.

Get more information and sign this petition by Danielle Leoni of the Breadfruit if you're a small restaurant, hospitality related business or small business.

 

6. Hold front-line workers in your heart

They keep working so we can eat.  Thank and tip your grocery clerk, restaurant worker, farmer, truck drivers and others.  Be patient when the shelves are empty, the line is long or the delivery is late.

 

7. Learn new skills, but take it easy and pace yourself

We’re going to be in it for a while.  Brush up on your cooking skills and plant some veggies but take it easy on yourself.  Take deep breaths. Have a backyard picnic. Check in with friends.

 

We’ve been working really hard to keep you updated and support our local restaurants, farmers, and other small businesses during the coronacrisis. We’ve also been figuring out the best way to get our magazine into your hands in the midst of safer-at-home orders and the (temporary) closure of many of our advertisers and distribution sites. As we prepare the upcoming summer issue, we’ve decided to only print enough magazines to fulfill pre-orders so it would really help us out if you’d take the time to order.

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For $8, we’ll mail the summer issue to your mailbox safe and sound. Order here before April 15.

 

Or, if you’d like to purchase a one-year subscription, we’d be eternally grateful but frankly we can’t guarantee we’ll be around for the next year to fulfill it, so think of it more as a donation.

 

P.S. You can read our spring (and all of our back issues) on-line at digital edition.  But we know that sometimes you just want to hold Edible Phoenix in your hands – we’ll mail a free copy of the current spring issue to anyone who requests it.