Madeline Henriquez, community activist and entrepreneur, has been appointed by the Poughkeepsie Farm Project Board of Directors to serve as interim executive director following the resignation of Ray Armater, who served as executive director for the last three years. The Poughkeepsie Farm Project (PFP) is a dynamic and multifaceted community farm that provides healthy, affordable food and educational enrichment to thousands of city residents.
PFP Board Chair Diane von Roesgen Oktay said: “On behalf of the Board of Directors I would like to thank Ray for his stewardship of the Poughkeepsie Farm Project over the past three years and welcome Madeline as our interim executive director at this pivotal time. Nonprofits are being challenged like never before during this period of social and economic realignment and we are thrilled to have Madeline join us to move the organization forward.”
Henriquez began serving as PFPӪs interim executive director Sept. 8, allowing her time to transition into the role while Armater remained on the job. She previously served as co-vice chair of PFPӪs Board, resigning from the board effective Sept. 4 in order to take the new position. Henriquez most recently co-founded Earth, Wind & Fuego LLC, a social enterprise venture and caf̩ formerly operating at the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory.
Poughkeepsie Farm Project has grown dramatically since 1999 when it began providing 70 community-supported agriculture (CSA) shareholders with produce grown on 3 acres of reawakened farmland leased from Vassar College. Today, nearly 500 shareholders take home 80% of the 90 tons of certified naturally grown produce that PFP harvests each year. The other 20% is distributed through PFP”™s Food Share program, which increases access to healthy, locally grown food for the most marginalized members of the community.
With a staff of seven full-time and 17 part-time employees, PFP has increased its donations to emergency food providers by 22% compared to last year, with donations totaling 23,738 pounds of produce as of Aug 27. For more information, visit farmproject.org.
