Page 4 C OLLIN C OUNTY C OMMERCIAL R ECORD Tuesday, January 26, 2021

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Big Tex Urban Farms Donates Moody Fund For The Arts More Than 295,000 Servings And Elevator Project of Fresh Produce to Fair Application Dates Park Community in 2020 Announced – January 19, 2021 – The percent of the produce grown at Moody Fund Dates Moved For - grants may also support: State Fair of is proud to an - Big Tex Urban Farms is donated to ward To Accelerate Grants During a. Virtual programming. nounce that in 2020, Big Tex organizations in the local commu - Pandemic b. Programs presented in unusual Urban Farms harvested and do - nity, such as Baylor Scott & White Moody Fund Virtual Town Hall spaces. nated more than 26,000 pounds of Health and Wellness Institute at Meeting: Dec 17 c. Programs reaching isolated au - food, which equates to more than the Juanita J. Craft Community Moody Fund for the Arts: January diences and those with limited in - 295,000 servings of fresh produce Center, Jubilee Park Community 11 – 29, 2021 ternet access. donated to nine organizations in Center, TR Hoover Community De - Elevator Project: February 22 – d. New works and projects that the and South Dallas velopment Corporation, and March 12, 2021 may only get to workshop/reading communities. Since the inception CitySquare. (Dallas) The AT&T Performing stage for now, but held until re - of Big Tex Urban Farms in 2016, In addition to serving the local Arts Center today announced the opening. the State Fair has donated more community, the Farms’ impact 2021 application submission peri - Applications along these lines than 688,000 total servings – spans across the global agricul - ods for both the Moody Fund for must demonstrate realistic strate - bringing us nearly 70% of the way tural community. Seen as an inno - the Arts, which the Center man - gies to reach and measure broad to meeting our million servings vator in the field of urban ages, and the Elevator Project, a and underserved audiences. mission goal announced in the fall agriculture, the Farms have be - long-running program of the Cen - The Center, which administers of 2018. come a destination for organiza - ter. the MFA moved the application Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic, tions to visit from around the MOODY FUND FOR THE ARTS from its usual late- February to Big Tex Urban Farms never world to learn how to help pro - The online application period for mid-March submission period to stopped operating in 2020. In re - duce high-yielding fruits and veg - the 2021 Moody Fund for the Arts the January time frame in order to sponse to the global crisis, the etables in urban environments. (MFA) will run from Monday, Jan - get more funds to the groups dur - Farms adjusted their harvest and The Farms have also been asked uary 11 through Friday, January ing a challenging period. All appli - donation procedures to include to speak as industry leaders at 29. MFA provides grants to small cations are filed online, and proper safety protocols so the various conferences, including Dallas-based arts organizations reviewed by a panel of artists and State Fair could continue to serve the Oxford Farming Conference in (budgets under $1M) supported arts advocates. the community in this dire time of Oxford, England. by the City of Dallas Office of Arts The grants are awarded after a need. These safety protocols in - “The Big Tex Urban Farms initia - and Culture. MFA grants may be two-level review process judged clude workers wearing masks and tive has brought valuable oppor - awarded for a diverse range of by a panel of experienced artists gloves, socially distancing at all tunities to the South Dallas area,” proposals such as new works, off - and arts advocates. times, updating donation proce - said Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew, vice setting production costs, projects A virtual town hall informational dures to be contactless, and shift - president of community affairs & addressing cultural equity, artists- meeting will be held on Thursday, ing tours of the Farms to be strategic alliances for the State in-residency, operating support, December 17 from 4:00 p.m. to virtual rather than in-person. Fair of Texas. “Not only are the and more. 5:30 p.m. Please RSVP to Moody “Even with the challenges from Farms providing food for a com - Recognizing that the COVID-19 Fund for the Arts Community the pandemic, our team was able munity located in a food desert, pandemic will still likely be im - Meeting on www.TicketDFW.com to harvest and donate even more the cooking classes and educa - pacting performance, rehearsal, A zoom link will be sent two hours food to the community – up 25% tional opportunities accompany - education and exhibition spaces, before the meeting begins. from prior year,” said Drew Dem - ing the Farms help lay the as well as audiences in 2021, ler, director of horticulture at the foundation for creating access for . “Early on when South Dallas residents. These the pandemic began and every - partnerships are critical to ensure one was asked to stay at home, that the community has the op - grocery stores and pantries were portunity for healthier food op - at a loss, so we knew our contri - tions.” butions were more important A portion of every ticket bought than ever.” to the State Fair of Texas benefits Introduced in 2016, the Fair’s Big Big Tex Urban Farms. For more in - Tex Urban Farms is an urban agri - formation, and to view the dona - culture project located on the tion history by year, please visit State Fair of Texas Midway in Fair BigTex.com/BTUF. Fairgoers can LACK OF EYE CONTACT IS A SIGN OF AUTISM. Park and is comprised of hydro - visit Big Tex Urban Farms during Lea rn t he o the rs at a utismspea ks.or g/si gns ponic growing systems and out - the 2021 State Fair of Texas, door planting beds. Operated and scheduled to be held September tended to by State Fair staff, 100% 24 through October 17.