Want a Farmers Market in 2027? Email the City!

The Georgetown Business Association (GBA) is currently advocating for City funding to support staffing and promotion for the 2027 Georgetown Farmers Market.

The City's Budget Committee is reviewing proposals now, and strong neighborhood support will help show Councilmembers how important it is to have access to fresh food in Georgetown.

Show your support by emailing the City by 12pm on Friday, October 30. Even a short email makes an impact!

The GBA has put together a guide for who to email, with sample verbiage and points to touch on. Information is also below:

GEORGETOWN FARMERS MARKET 2027 ADVOCACY 

Request Summary:

Georgetown Business Association is seeking $50,000 in funds to run the 2nd full season of the Georgetown Farmers Market in 2027. This funding will pay for staffing, outreach to folks using food assistance programs in the neighborhood, and overall marketing. The funding will help us become sustainable as we grow and continue to promote the market.

Why we need your help:

The City is currently deciding which funding to keep in the Budget Chairperson’s Package, and your voice can help us ensure this funding stays in the final budget! The more emails they receive in support, the more likely the proposal remains in the budget. 

Your email will make a difference!

When to Send:

The Council will be debating proposals through Friday so please send your email ASAP or by noon, Friday, 10/30 at the latest.

Useful Info:

• Numbers Count! The more people that email their support the better

• Create A Unique Subject Line that Shows Your Request 

• This is the ONLY budget amendment for 2027 that specifically mentions Georgetown

• You don’t need to write a long email. Any show of support sent to Council is important and appreciated!

Who to email: 

council@seattle.gov

Cc: rob.saka@seattle.gov dionne.foster@seattle.gov Dan.strauss@seattle.gov Joy.hollingsworth@seattle.gov Eddie.Lin@seattle.gov Robert.Kettle@seattle.gov Maritza.rivera@seattle.gov Alexismercedes.rinck@seattle.gov Debora.juarez@seattle.gov

Create a unique subject line! 

• Write a subject line that explains your ask (even if they don’t read your whole email)

• Examples: Fund the Georgetown Farmers Market, In Support for Georgetown Farmers Market, Fund Food Sustainability in Georgetown!

What to write (sample letter below): 

• Your message doesn’t need to be long. It can simply be a note about how or why the market was important to you personally, and/or how it’s important to the neighborhood.

• CM Dionne Foster proposed this request, with support from CMs Saka and Lin. You can say thank you if you wish to

• Optional things you may want to include:

  • This week over 160 Council Budget Actions were brought before the Council. Only one mentioned Georgetown specifically, and that is OSE-002-A-1, Funding for the Georgetown Farmers Market

  • The City of Seattle's budget hovers over $8 billion dollars. This particular budget proposal is to add $50,000 to maintain Georgetown's Farmers Market. While this ask might be small in nature, compared to a budget in the billions, BUT it would have a HUGE impact on our community.

  • In Georgetown, we do not have a library. We do not have a Community Center. We do not have a Senior Center, or an abundance of green spaces. But we do have a community-driven Farmers Market

  • The Georgetown Farmers Market addresses our food desert and offers fresh food. It also serves as a community gathering space. The market serves a need AND strengthens our community, making it an excellent investment of the City’s dollars.

  • Georgetown is an underserved community. The Council’s support of OSE-002-A-1 is a measure that serves Georgetown directly.

• Wrap up:  Thank you for your consideration and support. We look forward to seeing this modest ask for our neighborhood in your Balancing Package.

SAMPLE EMAIL: 

(feel free to use or edit this draft) 

Dear Seattle City Council Members,

I am writing in support of OSE-002-A-1, Funding for the Georgetown Farmers Market. This is the only proposal brought forth for 2027 that directly affects Georgetown, a historically underserved community and food desert. 

-write a sentence or two about your experience at the Farmers Market and/or your struggles with finding fresh food in the neighborhood

The City’s $50,000 investment in our Farmers Market will pay for staffing, promotion, and outreach to those on food assistance, and it will show a good-faith effort to the commitments Seattle has made for food security for all neighborhoods. The Georgetown Farmers Market not only provides fresh food to the neighborhood, it also provides a source of community wealth. 

This proposal is extremely important to the resilience and sustainability of the food system Georgetown, and I hope that you will include this modest ask for our community in the Chair’s Balancing Package. 

Sincerely,

Name