One week ago, Local Harvest was on the brink of closure due to financial troubles at its grocery store, cafes and catering operation. Today, things are looking bright. Local Harvest owners Maddie Earnest and Patrick Horine announced that they have reached a $120,000 fundraising goal that will help keep doors open – and with days to spare.
“It’s been a whirlwind of a week,” Earnest said. “We knew people believed in the mission, but it was a big number. Pat and I want to thank everyone. The personal messages I got from people and friends have buoyed us and our staff going forward.”
What’s next for Local Harvest? “Within the next few weeks, when money is released from various places, we’ll be able to get some things back to square,” Earnest said. “Step two is to bring in a partner to secure us even more. What I am ecstatic about is that we have an actual value on our business from the community, and that is very powerful.”
Although Local Harvest has met is goal, the fundraising campaign on Indiegogo continues until Feb. 7.
This article appears in February 2014.