Imagine sitting with your family and eating the meal of your choice. Imagine that it was grown and harvested almost entirely by farms and producers in your immediate community. By choosing to eat locally you have supported up to 7 local companies or farms. Now, imagine that your food purchase at the Ox Shoppe earlier that week, empowered a young man or woman who struggled to find value in their existence, and could not find dignified, fairly compensated employment. As part of the program they may have worked on a farm that needed extra hands on occasion to expand their offerings and become sustainable, or maybe that individual helped you pick the perfect tomato in the store. Consider the sense of community that single decision created. Think about the exponential effect your dollar had on the local economy. Through the Ox Shoppe, this experience can become a reality, and not just for one evening, but it can become part of the cultural foundation of an entire community. 

 

The Ox Shoppe is a 501(C)3 charitable organization that is dedicated to supporting the local food economy by providing adults with barriers to employment with dignified, meaningful, and fairly compensated employment opportunities. Whether they are working in the local foods store at our headquarters on the square in Thompson, or they are part of our field teams that visit farms and provide temporary labor during peak season, these individuals will be placed in positions where they are able to realize their passion and thrive on the merits of their own unique skills. 

 

Started by Dawn Fleming-Kendall and her husband Darrell, The Ox Shoppe builds on her extensive background in special needs education and vocational training, as well as his experience building a first-generation farm from the ground up. By intertwining these passions, Dawn and Darrell seek to address two of this decade’s most inexplicable deficits; a lack of convenient and reliable access to local food, and an absence of employment opportunities for some of society's most productive employees. 

 

Making this program a reality is an endeavor that requires financial and community support. Through the local foods store and coffee shop, there will be regular, year-round revenue for the operation of the organization. In order to effectively manage the operation, The Ox Shoppe humbly asks you to consider being a financial partner in the execution of the mission. Through a donation or sponsorship, [insert company name] will help provide transportation, cover direct costs like insurance, and ensure that there is qualified oversight staff for our teams as they head into the community and work with local farmers.

 

If the idea of the almost fantastical local dinner that was laid out in the opening lines of this letter is something that excites you, let’s discuss how we can make you or your organization part of the dream