Our Story

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Executive Summary

Most small-scale farmers can’t afford to feed low-income people (since they are low-income) and most low-income consumers can’t afford to buy locally grown produce. This is a systems problem and Petaluma Bounty seeks to design community solutions. We push beyond hunger relief toward hunger prevention through programming that expands our community’s capacity to feed ourselves to achieve community food security.

Through our programs, Petaluma Bounty is improving the quality of food offered by emergency food distributors through the Bounty Hunters gleaning program. We are increasing low-income consumers’ purchasing power through local affordable food incentives such as Market Match, sliding-scale farm stands, and CSA memberships, as well as maximizing awareness and participation in federal food programs such as WIC, SNAP, and Meals on Wheels. We are increasing food literacy – knowledge of how food is grown and where it comes from – for children, youth, and adults. We are changing attitudes and appetites for healthy food and active lifestyles. We are expanding our community’s capacity to grow its own food by supporting the construction of community gardens and empowering others by sharing our knowledge. And finally, we are engaging our whole community to become active, informed agents of change of their food system.

Petaluma Bounty’s mission is healthy food for everyone through collaboration, education, and promoting self-reliance. We seek to foster a thriving local food system while improving low-income families’ access to sustainably grown, local food.

History of Petaluma Bounty

Petaluma Bounty grew out of a 2004 Community Needs Assessment commissioned by the Hub of Petaluma Foundation to determine Petaluma’s greatest unmet community need. It revealed many seniors, low-income families with young children, and individuals were struggling to afford adequate nutrition. Research with local emergency food providers and Petaluma residents revealed that the demand for emergency food was growing. The response that emerged was Petaluma Bounty, a multifaceted community food security initiative, launched in 2006 with the Bounty Hunters gleaning program and an initiative to start community gardens.

In 2008, the Bounty Community Farm, an urban educational farm site opened its doors to grow food with community for community. On October 1, 2012, Petaluma Bounty became a program of Petaluma People Services Center (PPSC). PPSC was incorporated on December 2, 1976, and is a 501(c)3 private nonprofit organization. PPSC is dedicated to improving the social and economic health of our community by providing programs that strengthen the dignity and self-sufficiency of the individual.

In the fall of 2025, PPSC announced its decision to discontinue Petaluma Bounty as a PPSC program, with October 31, 2025, as the last day. The farming season was abbreviated, and remaining produce was donated to food security organizations.

Starting Nov. 1, 2025, Petaluma Bounty is operating under the temporary fiscal sponsorship of San Antonio Valley Ranch LLC (SAVR), the agricultural arm of the Eames Institute. Petaluma Bounty is grateful to SAVR and the landowners, Stony Acres LLC for their support and understanding while we seek to reestablish our organization under a long-term fiscal sponsor.

Accomplishments

Please click here for our historical annual reports.

For more information on our unique approach, please click here.

Funders and Donors

Petaluma Bounty is grateful for the following organizations which provided sponsorships and donations over the years.

  • Bread For The Journey
  • Clover Stornetta Farms
  • Community Action Partnership (CAP) Sonoma County
  • Don Ramatici Insurance, Inc.
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
  • Exchange Bank
  • First Community Bank
  • Foundation for Sustainability & Innovation
  • Golden State Lumber
  • Harrison Mecham Relief Fund
  • Hub of Petaluma Foundation (Hub of Community Fund of Community Foundation Sonoma County)
  • Kaiser Permanente Foundation
  • North Bay Construction
  • Petaluma Community Foundation
  • Petaluma Health Care District
  • Petaluma Poultry
  • Sonoma County First Five
  • Whole Foods Market Petaluma

Partners

  • The Hub of Petaluma Foundation
  • Community Foundation Sonoma County
  • Elim Lutheran Church
  • North Bay Construction
  • Akeena Solar
  • City of Petaluma
  • Clover Stornetta Farms, Inc.
  • Petaluma Community Foundation
  • Community Action Partnership (CAP) Sonoma County
  • COTS’ Food Box Program and The Petaluma Kitchen
  • F3 & Associates
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • Petaluma City Schools
  • Petaluma Adult School
  • Old Adobe Union School District
  • Boys & Girls Club of Petaluma
  • Petaluma Health Center
  • UC Cooperative Extension/Sonoma County Master Gardeners
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
  • Daily Acts
  • Sustainable Petaluma
  • Paula Lane Action Network
  • Petaluma Farmers Markets
  • Carstensen’s Organic Strawberries
  • Sonoma Compost
  • School Garden Company
  • Leadership Petaluma Class of 2006-07 & Class of 2009-2010
  • Laguna Farm
  • Canvas Ranch
  • Petaluma Peoples Services Center (PPSC)
  • Petaluma Health Care District
  • Petaluma Ecumenical Properties (PEP)
  • Food Matters, Sonoma County
  • Golden Living Center, Petaluma
  • United Church of Christ
  • Hillside Church of the Nazarene
  • Adobe Christian Center
  • Petaluma Valley Baptist Church
  • St. Vincent’s Catholic Church
  • Cross & Crown Lutheran School
  • Unitarian Universalists of Petaluma
  • Hammond & Company
  • Petaluma Garden Club
  • Endless Summer
  • Jessie et Laurent, Inc.
  • Heritage Salvage
  • Sierra Fence & Lumber
  • Occidental Arts & Ecology Center
  • Regenerative Design Institute
  • Sweetwater Nursery
  • The Seed Corps
  • Botanical Interests
  • AQUS Cafe
  • Dempsey’s Restaurant & Brewery
  • Cafe Zazzle
  • Tea Room Cafe
  • Central Market
  • Graziano’s Ristorante & Lounge
  • Risibisi Restaurant Wine Bar
  • Velasco’s North of the Border
  • Thai Ginger Bistro
  • KT and the Panorama Baking Company
  • Petaluma Market
  • Spring Hill Cheese Company
  • Petaluma Minuteman Press
  • Golden State Lumber
  • Petaluma High School
  • Cottage Gardens
  • Ravenswood Winery
  • James K
  • The Greenstring Farm Band
  • Top Speed Data
  • Tuscan Gardens
  • Rex Ace Hardware
  • Friedman’s Home Improvement
  • North Bay Landscape Management, Inc.
  • Cal West Rentals
  • Trees of Antiquity LLC
  • Living  Earth Structures
  • Experience Works
  • Quality Printing
  • Zero Waste Sonoma
  • The many volunteers who have helped us to build new community gardens, glean thousands of pounds of healthy food each month, manage the Bounty Farm, operate the Bounty Box Food Club, and spread the word about the importance of a healthy local food system (and a ton of other things)!