by Madison Tetens
Friends of Mack Park Farm is a new 501(c)(3) that aims to further support the municipal farm that grows food for the community. I had the pleasure of speaking with Nicole Kelley, a volunteer and nonprofit professional, who spearheaded the formation of the organization. She saw a need to expand fundraising opportunities that are otherwise limited as a city-run project.
Your background was originally in real estate. What made you want to pivot into nonprofit work?
Engagement in community service has always been deeply important to me. My parents instilled in me the importance of giving back from an early age, and I've carried that mindset into adulthood. My former career in commercial real estate was very high-energy and intense, leaving little time for volunteer work. Like so many during the pandemic, I took some time to reevaluate my life, and concluded that I needed to slow down, and wanted to pivot to a line of work that aligned more closely with my personal values. And voila, I was lucky enough to find a new career in the philanthropic sector that also allows me the flexibility and balance I needed to engage in more volunteering in my home community.
You mentioned the hardest part of starting a nonprofit is figuring out the order of things needing to be done. What was your biggest takeaway from the experience?
I wish there was a better guidebook for this process! It’s really difficult to figure out the proper workflow. My deepest thanks to a fellow Mack Park Farm volunteer with experience with a startup nonprofit who took the time to meet with me and discuss her experience as I tried to figure out the steps.
How did you assemble the board?
Any effective board should have a deep community network to effectively spread an organization’s mission and raise funds. Since I’m newer to Salem (I moved here in 2020), I wanted to find fellow board members with deep ties to the Salem community, from a variety of backgrounds, who could help advance and contribute to the mission of the organization. I sourced recommendations, sent inquiries, and think we've pulled together a great group of folks for this work who are passionate about the Farm and excited to get rolling.
What's currently your biggest challenge?
Our biggest challenge right now is raising awareness and building sustaining support. At this early-stage in our creation, most of our support is highly trust-based from individual donors who already know about and love the Farm (and we love them, and are so grateful). As we grow and demonstrate our impact, I hope that we can prove ourselves to a point that will open us up to broader opportunities.
What do you find most rewarding about the work you do for Mack Park?
Honestly, so much. Getting to know my Salem neighbors and becoming a member of such a great and supportive community. Being a part of something that brings joy and learning to so many people. Getting my hands dirty and an on-the-ground education about urban agricultural practices that I can bring home to my own garden. Watching it grow. I'm so proud to be a part of this very special project and excited to see more and more people learning about it and getting involved.
How can people get involved in Friends of Mack Park Farm?
Come out and volunteer with us! Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. Reach out to Kerry Murphy with the City of Salem at kmurphy@salem.com to get added to the volunteer list and sign up for shifts.
And join us in growing the work by donating to the Friends of Mack Park Farm and spreading the word! We also need referrals for legal services, tax form preparation, and accounting support.
Donations can be made online at Friends of Mack Park Farm’s secure donation site.
For any other questions about the Friends of Mack Park Farm, or to contribute by check, contact Nicole at nkelley55@gmail.com or Cathy Favreau at cathyfav@gmail.com.
