Happy New Year- both Western- a belated one and Asian- happening now.

In Nov/Dec Heather Keisler Fornes and I each applied for board positions.  Our applications were declined.  Here's the text of the email we each received.

"Thank you for your interest in serving on the HFM board. We appreciate you taking the time to apply and share your skills and experience with us.

After careful consideration, we have decided not to move forward with your application at this time.

We wish you all the best in your future endeavors."

Each of us were disappointed with the decision as well as baffled by the decision wrt our qualifications.  Heather  has been running the neighborhood gleaners program that collects food at the market.  More info here: https://www.communityfpa.org/neighborhood-gleaners

I have shopped at the market since it began and started volunteering the second year of the market.

More likely the decision was based upon expressing our opinions on current situations at the market.

HFM is a 'third place,'  a gathering spot for community. See recent NPR story for the need for these spaces.

https://www.npr.org/2025/01/29/nx-s1-5276197/loneliness-isolation-derek-thompson-atlantic

Ask:

We need people who love the Hollywood Farmers Market to volunteer time on the board or one of the many committees.

Heather and I tried to do so, we were turned down.  Consider giving 5-10 hours a month to build back the community.  HFM is about food, relationships and the local economy. 

Next update in ~ 2 weeks