Wow. Together, we've done a lot.

As we approach the end of 2024, I would like to take a moment to celebrate the impact of our supporters and to look ahead toward our continued work in 2025.

At Alchemist Community Development Corporation , we are daring to dream of a future when all our neighbors will share in the abundance of good food; in which people and the land are healthy together; and where everyone has the opportunity to thrive as part of a vibrant and diverse community.

The partnership of so many people in the community truly matters and allows us to achieve these dreams. You can see the effects in 2024, a remarkable year of growth, evolution, and impact for Alchemist CDC:

• Our Community Food Connections program has grown exponentially and we are now providing groceries to some of the most food-insecure student families in 47 schools in the Sacramento Unified School District. That represents 59% of the 75 campuses in the district! In November 2024 alone, we provided groceries to 456 households made up of 1,879 people, including 744 adults and 1,135 children.
• The Alchemist Microenterprise Academy has trained 39 incredible food entrepreneurs this year! This program continues to reach communities who have experienced systemic barriers to starting a business, with the 2024 cohorts made up of entrepreneurs who are 59% low-income, 62% women, 79% BIPOC, 21% LGBTQ+, and 18% disabled.
• August 2024 was our biggest month ever for CalFresh at farmer's markets, with $96,951 CalFresh/EBT and $79,675 in Market Match distributed across 9 markets!
• Between January and mid-November 2024, we have already distributed $1,328,810 in combined CalFresh and Market Match, breaking previous 12 month records!
• We completed our 4 year USDA-funded Community Food Project. We encourage you to download the report for a moving and in-depth overview of this work. (Special thanks to Tiffany Wilson who collaborated on this project and produced this final report)
• Alchemist Public Market has hit several major milestones, most recently with our project submission to City Planning for approval. We are on track for opening by mid-2026!
• The Oak Park Art Garden's development process has picked up steam and is on track for completed construction in summer 2025!
• We introduced a new logo that is being slowly rolled out to better express the transformative work we do in the community.
• The Oak Park Sol Community Garden is now growing fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution through our Community Food Connections program.
• There are now 28 businesses in the Alchemist Kitchen Incubator Program, with incredible growth and development! These incubated businesses are selling at farmers' markets, SMF airport, the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op, local breweries, and have multiple brick-and-mortar locations in the works for next year! You can find these AKIPers in the business directory we created this year.
• We now manage three local certified farmers' markets in Florin, Rancho Cordova, and Meadowview!
• Building on our previous advocacy work for CalFresh access, we were able to mobilize and co-lead a statewide effort to save Market Match when it was threatened with extinction due to proposed state budget cuts this year.
• Once again, we maintained Platinum Transparency status with Candid/Guidestar.
• We can’t say much about it just yet, but we have begun work on an incredible new workforce development program that will have a profound impact on its participants and the region’s food service and hospitality industries.

How can you help us build on this work in the new year? Options abound!

• Make a gift of any amount by December 31 as we kick off our year-end campaign.
• Become a founding member of our Community Cultivators by enrolling to make a monthly donation. It’s as easy as clicking “Recurring” and “Monthly” on our donation page!
• Connect with us to explore planned giving possibilities.
• Support our work while navigating your tax liabilities by donating stocks or setting up Qualified Charitable Distributions from your IRA.
• Reach out to volunteer with our programs or to schedule a corporate volunteer day with your co-workers.
• Tell your friends and professional network about the work we are doing!

With your support, we can continue to connect Sacramento communities to land, food, and opportunity in 2025 and beyond.

Sam Greenlee, Executive Director