Help Feed the Local Community and Rebuild Darnell Farms

Our GoFundMe Campaign Update: Raising Our Goal to $250,000

Dear Supporters and Friends,

We are overwhelmed by the incredible outpouring of support we've received since launching our campaign. Your generosity has been a beacon of hope during these challenging times. As we continue to assess the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina and plan for recovery, we've realized that our needs are greater than initially anticipated. With this in mind, we are raising our campaign goal to $250,000.

Why We're Raising Our Goal

When we first launched this campaign, we set an initial goal of $50,000. As advised by experienced fundraisers, we've been incrementally increasing our goal as we've reached milestones. This approach has allowed us to better understand the full scope of our needs and the tremendous support available from our extended community.

While Darnell Farms didn't experience the worst damage from Hurricane Helene, our entire region has been significantly impacted. Western North Carolina relies heavily on tourism, and many families are now struggling. We want to use these additional funds not only to recover but also to support our broader community during this difficult time.

The Challenges We Face

1. Community Outreach: We're committed to maintaining and expanding our healthy food box deliveries to families in need across our county and surrounding areas. We want to focus on locally sourced products to support both the community and local vendors, providing fresh produce to economically distressed areas.

2. Immediate Infrastructure Repair: The recent flooding has washed away or compromised much of our essential gravel. We need approximately $75,000 to replace this, which is crucial for our farm's operations and safety.

3. Loss of Income: As a working family farm that contributes significantly to local tourism, we're currently losing about $100,000 per week. This loss will continue well into next summer due to the devastation of next year's strawberry crop. With tourism expected to decline this winter, we anticipate further financial challenges.

4. Supporting Our Farm Family: We have 30 farm families working at our farm. They depend on us as their sole source of income. It's crucial that we continue to support them through this difficult time.

How Your Support Makes a Difference

Every dollar you contribute goes directly towards:

• Repairing and rebuilding our farm infrastructure

• Ensuring we can continue to pay our dedicated employees

• Sustaining and expanding our community support initiatives, including food deliveries to those in need

• Preparing for next season to ensure we can bounce back stronger

• Supporting local jobs and vendors by sourcing products for our food boxes

• Providing a gathering place for our community during these challenging times

A Heartfelt Thank You

Words cannot express how grateful we are for your support thus far. Your donations, shares, and words of encouragement have been a lifeline for our farm and the families that depend on it. We are humbled by your generosity and are more determined than ever to rebuild and continue serving our community.

As we push towards this new goal, we ask for your continued support. Whether it's through donations, sharing our campaign, or spreading the word, every action makes a difference.

Together, we can ensure that our farm not only survives this setback but emerges stronger, ready to continue providing for our community and contributing to local tourism.

We believe that Darnell Farms belongs to everyone, and we're committed to being a resource for our neighbors. We'll continue giving free produce to locals in need until we run out of resources to do so. Your donation will help us keep Darnell Farms strong, support local jobs, and provide fresh produce to those who need it most.

Thank you for standing with us. Your support means everything. Together, we can lift our community through these difficult times.

With deepest gratitude,

Nate Darnell and Afton Darnell Roberts Darnell Farms LLC

Original GoFundMe Posting:

This photo shows the devastating impact Hurricane Helene had on our beloved strawberry fields. Before we could even begin the clean-up, we were given an estimate of around $50,000 lost in plants alone.

Strawberries are a huge part of our farm’s heart and soul, and this loss is a heavy blow to our entire team. We’re working hard to rebuild, but we need your support to recover from this unexpected tragedy.

Please consider donating to our GoFundMe to help us recover and continue serving our community. Every little bit helps!

Thank you for standing with us during this difficult time.

#SaveDarnellFarms #FarmStrong #WNCCommunity