Campaign for

the center for food and agriculture

Bringing food, farm, and communities forward.

AIM is launching a campaign to build The Center for Food and Agriculture — a place for our beloved Marin Farmers Market to become a zero-waste farmers market and educational space dedicated to healthier food culture.  The Center will foster deeper connections between our community and their favorite farmers market, and advance our fight for better food, a cleaner climate, and economic justice as a part of renewed food systems.

The home for the center will span over four and a half acres at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Civic Center campus in San Rafael. Once tidal marshes of unceded Ohlone land, historically cared for and protected by the Coast Miwok people, AIM strives to honor this agricultural heritage.  We are committed to learning from our regional native communities and agricultural history, and incorporating indigenous principles into creating a healthy food system and building a center that is responsive to all people’s needs and collective healing.

“Together, we can ensure that the people who grow, catch and harvest food that nourishes all of us — and our planet — have the resources that they need in order to thrive.”

 

HEAL FOOD ALLIANCE

Imagine what we can build together.

The Vision for the Center

AIM stewards a healthy local and regional food system, where farmers play a critical role in creating both a thriving ecology and a living economy. The Center will be the space to accelerate this work, with ongoing education and thought leadership programs to engage the community, support farmers, and increase food access.

Exemplify and demonstrate the principles of regenerative design in the physical infrastructure and living systems.
Be a hub for innovative solutions to ensure all community members can access a safe, culturally acceptable diet.
Create jobs and incubate business growth for farmers and producers, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+, and immigrants.
Indoor and outdoor dynamic learning spaces, including a teaching kitchen, classrooms, meeting spaces, and edible gardens.

Designed by all of us.

The Center has evolved from an inspired idea to a Marin County ballot measure that passed with 84% of the votes in 2014. We then developed the vision in close collaboration with the public, through workshops of shoppers, neighbors, producers, and partners. Looking forward, the new Center will contribute to  healthier,  more equitable food systems, stronger communities, and a thriving regional economy.

 

A Beloved Farmers Market Made Better

By 2025, we will have one of the world’s first closed-loop, zero waste, farmers markets with the goal of zero on site greenhouse gas emissions as part of regional food and farming systems that heal our land and planet. The Center will support revitalization of soils, pastures and seas while serving as  the connection point between those who need quality, nutrient-dense foods and those who make their livelihoods providing it.

Be a zero waste market that re-defines how producers package food and how consumers bring food home
Provide 250 spaces for responsible farmers and producers from nearly 40 California counties
Include ADA-friendly restrooms, seating , drinking water, and shelter from sun, rain and wind
Incorporate a transportation hub with ample bicycle parking and electric vehicle (EV) stations and transfer link to the local SMART Train Station

A Place to Live, Learn and Love Food Together

A commercial-grade teaching kitchen, hosted demonstrations in a food garden, and classroom spaces for AIM to help the community learn about the carbon footprint of our food.

Preparing seasonal meals using market ingredients
Edible and experiential educational programs
Learn principles of regenerative farming and healthy soil practices
Advocacy education for a more equitable food system

Nourished Gatherings

The Marin Farmers Market will continue to grow as a central hub for the community to deepen connections to each other and cultivate a healthier food culture.

Community gathering places for people to enjoy food, art, music together.
Events will include “Harvest Talks”, cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs and guest speakers
Specialty dinners featuring local chefs and food producers
Lectures and book signings by artisans and farmers

Promoting Climate-Smart Advancements

We are committed to the goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions and climate positive design in the new building.

Fully electric with on-site solar canopies
Solar panels will harvest energy to power the center and our programs.
On-site composting and carbon sequestration garden
A pollinator corridor dedicated to supporting essential life-giving insects and birds.
Use of renewable building materials like sheep wool insulation and straw bale
Closed-loop waste and water management
The Center was endorsed by the Marin Drawdown Project as a solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Advocating Food Security for All

A healthy food system is one that provides economic sustainability for its producers, offers high quality food to all, and has a minimal  carbon footprint.

Cold storage for The Rollin’ Root, a mobile local food truck
Food access with CalFresh, WIC, and the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs
Partnerships to redistribute excess produce and to reduce food waste
Curbside pick-ups of the AIM Bounty Box, weekly produce boxes discounted for CalFresh cardholders and donated to food insecure families

Connecting to Careers

We hope to provide opportunities for volunteers and job seekers who have a passion for food and agriculture careers, including professional guidance for beginning farmers and ranchers in successful direct sales and marketing of local foods.

A job board for community residents
Consultations in business development and marketing
Guidance for beginning farmers and ranchers

Join in and support the future of AIM.

Many ways to get involved!

Join the Leadership Circle

Our Leadership Circle is a community of committed and generous donors who have a transformational role in the success of the campaign by contributing $100,000 or greater.  A gift to the Leadership Circle is an investment in the future of California agriculture and farming.

Make a Legacy Gift

You can make a lasting impact by designating a gift to AIM as part of your estate plan —  including gifts that cost nothing to make now, gifts that pay income, gifts that reduce taxes,  and gifts that benefit heirs, along with opportunities for naming recognition.

Join us in bringing food, farm, and communities forward.

Contact Andy Naja-Rieseor call (415) 472-6100 to confirm our partnership.

Capital Campaign Cabinet
  • Dennis Gilardi Founder of Gilardi & Co.
  • Hemalee Patel DO National Senior Medical Director-Chronic Disease Management, One Medical
  • Jonathan Mi Managing Director, Americas at CREO
  • Katie Taylor Board and Community Volunteer
  • Kerry Tepperman Campbell Author and Educator
  • Kirsten Beckwith Board and Community Volunteer
  • Lily Riesenfeld Chair, Entrepreneur, Co-Creator FutureWell & Founder, Kinship
  • Tamara Hicks Co-Owner of Toluma Farms & Tomales Farmstead Creamery and Daily Driver
Center Ambassadors
  • Alice Waters American chef, restauratrice, activist and author; owner of Chez Panisse
  • Andy Fisher Project Co-Director, Institute for Social and Economic Development Solutions; Founder, American Food Systems Alliance; Author, Big Hunger
  • Anna Lappé Co-founder, Small Planet Institute; Executive Director, Global Alliance for the Future of Food
  • Anthony Myint Co-Founder of Restore California & Zero Footprint, Founder of Mission Chinese Food & the Perennial
  • Ben Feldman Policy Director, Farmers Market Coalition
  • Damon Connolly California Assemblymember for the 12th District representing Marin and Southern Sonoma Counties
  • Elizabeth Whitlow Executive Director, Regenerative Organic Alliance
  • Gibson Thomas Founder of Edible Marin & Wine Country
  • Heidi Thomas Kühn Founder and CEO, Roots of Peace
  • Jennifer Siebel Newsom First Partner of California and filmmaker
  • Patty Garbarino President and CEO, Marin Sanitary Service
  • Paul Hawken Author, Executive Director, Project Regeneration
  • Paul Lightfoot General Manager, Patagonia Provisions
  • Sarah Weiner Executive Director of Good Food Foundation
  • Senator Mike McGuire California Senator for the 2nd District representing Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt & Del Norte Counties
  • Susan and Dennis Gilardi Founder of Gilardi & Co.
  • Warren Weber Founder of Star Route Farms, Past President of California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), Co-founder of the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF)
  • Will Rosenzweig Faculty Director of The Sustainable Food Initiative at the Center for Responsible Business at UC-Berkeley; Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Physic Ventures; Senior Advisor to Generation Investment Management, Founding CEO of The Republic of Tea
Staff
  • Andy Naja-Riese Chief Executive Officer
  • Jasson Minadakis Director of Development
  • Tanya Wolf Chief Financial & Operations Officer
  • Shayla Sosa Senior Director of Marketing and External Relations
Project Manager
  • Ted Lieser Equity Community Builders
Center Project Advisory Team
  • Adriana Silva Co-Owner of Tomatero Organic Farm
  • Cameron Crisman Partner, Petit Teton Farm & CFO, Petit Teton Foundation
  • Helmut Drews Co-Founder of Encina Farms
  • Janet Brown Co-Owner All-Star Organics
  • Moira Kuhn Co-Owner of Marin Roots Farm
  • Monica Rocchino Co-Founder of The Local Butcher Shop
  • Peg Smith Co-Founder Cowgirl Creamery
Center Project Design Team
  • Aris Georges Founder, OM Studio Design, Co-designer Lindal Imagine Series
  • Chris Dorman Design Principal, Dorman Associates
  • Claudia Wu Landscape Designer, swa
  • Drew Norton Principal, Sherwood Design Engineers
  • Joe Runco Principal, swa
  • Lorraine Cayllahua Project Engineer, Sherwood Design Engineers
  • Mary Peterson Senior Project Manager, Dorman Associates
  • Mike Hastings Senior Project Manager, Sherwood Design Engineers
  • Zach Davis Associate Principal, swa