SITKA LOCAL FOODS NETWORK
The SLFN mission is to increase the amount of locally produced and harvested foods in the diets of Southeast Alaskans
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Sitka Farmers Market
We will host seven Sitka Farmers Markets during the 2023 summer, our 16th season hosting the markets, with a focus on local foods and locally produced arts and crafts. Our markets provide an opportunity for local cottage food industry entrepreneurs to test products, and for backyard gardeners to sell excess produce. We also accept and match SNAP and WIC benefits at the market. Our 2023 tentative market dates are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, July 1, July 15, July 29, Aug. 12, Aug. 26, Sept. 9, and Sept. 23, at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Founders Hall (235 Katlian Street) in Sitka. This will be our second year back at ANB Hall after two years at other locations due to Covid (our first 12 years were at ANB).
St. Peter's Fellowship Farm communal garden
We grow much of the produce sold at the Sitka Farmers Markets at the St. Peter's Fellowship Farm communal garden (located behind St. Peter's By The Sea Episcopal Church, 611 Lincoln Street, in Sitka) and at a couple of satellite gardens around town. We started St. Peter's Fellowship Farm in the spring of 2008, and had produce to sell at our first three Sitka Farmers Markets held later that summer. Since then we have been able to increase our production of local produce so we now can support seven markets this summer as well as selling produce at other venues and for school lunches. St. Peter's Fellowship Farm has a Certified Naturally Grown designation. It also holds a People's Garden designation from the USDA (for gardens that return produce to the community)
Sitka Local Foods Network Education Program
The SLFN Education Committee offers a variety of gardening and food preservation education opportunities to Sitka residents (and others). We host a variety of free or nearly free gardening classes in the spring, and we offer a one-on-one garden mentoring program to first-time gardeners where mentors provide families with six classes during the growing season (these classes are open to the general public). We also partner with the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen, University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, and other programs to provide a variety of food preservation and cooking classes.
Sitka Food Business Innovation Contest
We are hosting our sixth annual Sitka Food Business Innovation Contest in early 2023 (the entry deadline is March 17), which is a way to encourage local entrepreneurs to use local foods in their products and services. We provide two $1,500 prizes, and our 2022 winners are a couple of women who are making fish broth from parts of the fish usually thrown away and a woman who has a Japanese-Hawaiian-Alaskan pop-up restaurant. Past winners include businesses using seaweed and other sea greens, a bakery, a mushroom cultivation program, a food truck, a fermented food business, someone making ice cream desserts, and an egg producer. We also gave a small special award to a 12-year-old girl who was making custom spice mixes.
Where we work
External reviews

Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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SITKA LOCAL FOODS NETWORK
Board of directorsas of 02/09/2023
Charles Bingham
Tiffany Justice
Ben Timby
Nina Vizcarrondo
Samuel Pointer
Board leadership practices
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No