Gather for the Planet 2025

Gather for the Planet 2025 was our biggest and most successful event to date. From the music and food to the awards presentation and lively auction, we had an evening that won’t soon be forgotten. We raised a record-breaking $363,000 to support local farmers, expand food access, and bring the Center for Food and Agriculture to life. Thank you to everyone who attended and made it the one-of-a-kind event it was.

Guests were welcomed to Black Mountain Ranch by the sounds of Tim Weed and Friends and the gorgeous ombré local flower arch. Our volunteers showed up in full force in the days leading up to the event, creating the floral display to set the scene for the evening. Sourcing local flowers supports local agriculture and economies, as well as reduces carbon footprint from flowers grown and flown in from South America. The tablescapes were sourced from our Thursday Marin Market participants. Guests were able to “shop” the table and bring home the produce, as well as the pails of flowers.

The food was a beautiful bridge between seasons, highlighting favorites like Jimmy Nardello peppers and last of the season tomatoes as well as roasted black futsu squash. Thank you to our chefs Ollie K.C. Liedags of Hilda & Jesse, Kim LaVere of Land & Local, William Henpenn of Umbel Roots Farm, Katie Reicher of Greens Restaurant, Tamara Jo Hicks and Jessica Macleod of Tomales Farmstead Creamery, Jesus “Chuy” Escobar of Scoma’s Sausalito, and Monique Feybesse and Paul Feybesse of Tarts de Feybesse for their contributions to our food and drink menu. Our caterer Metal & Match executed their visions beautifully. Thank you to Dancing Crow Vineyards and Heidrun Meadery for keeping our guests’ glasses full. 

Our grazing table is always a hit. This year, our donated meats and cheeses from local Marin companies surrounded a model of the Center for Food and Agriculture campus. Guests were able to read about Phase One and Phase Two of the project and visualize the look and feel of the future center.

A highlight of the Gather for the Planet program is always the presentation of the Climate Action Champion Award. Our fourth annual recipients are the 11 small-scale family farms that supply Straus Family Creamery. These small farms implement practices like carbon farming, using a biodigester to turn methane biogas into energy, and experiment with feeding seaweed to their cows to prevent methane gas emissions. We were able to honor Bordessa Family Dairies, Correia Family Dairy, Drakes View, Hughes Family Dairy, JJ Family Dairy, Moretti Family Dairy, Nosecchi Family Dairy, Robert McClelland Dairy, Silacci Dairy, Straus Dairy Farm, and Tresch Family Farms. Four of the farms took the stage to accept the award, and farmer Kathy Tresch honored us in turn with her moving words.

Finally, the main event: the live auction and fund-a-need. Our auctioneer Emily Quinn ramped our guests up and got everyone in on the fun–the energy in the historic barn was electric. Our bidders won some incredible experiences shared by our generous donors, like a resort getaway to Mexico, a private farm dinner for 20, and weekend stays at some beautiful Sonoma farms. 

The Numbers

• Ticket Sales and Sponsorships - $92,797

  All of the ticket sales and sponsorships went to support AIM’s weekly farmers markets and annual programs. We surpassed our goal and are providing additional support to programs that have been impacted by the federal government’s new funding priorities.

• Live Auction - $45,750

  Your enthusiasm and sense of playful competition for a great cause shot us right past our goal by $16,000!

• Fund-A-Need - $225,375

  The optimism and energy in the barn continued to rise as the Fund-A-Need began. Thanks to three leadership gifts, including $80,000 in challenge matches, you all helped start the movement to build the Center for Food and Agriculture by generously shattering the Fund A Need goal by $145,375!

• Total Raised for CFA - $271,125

  Thank you to every chef, farmer, maker, rancher, volunteer, and guest who set the stage to make Gather for the Planet possible. Your generosity is growing roots and helping build a future where local food, farms, and communities thrive.

We’re deeply grateful to our sponsors, partners, and the incredible team that made this event a success, including:

Sponsors:

• Marin Community Foundation

• TomKat Foundation

• Straus Family Creamery

• Harbor Point Charitable Foundation

• Kaiser Permanente

• Marin Sanitary Service

• Marin Agricultural Land Trust

• SWA

• Marin CAN

• Equity Community Builders

• Millicent Bogart

• Peg Smith

• Gina and Stuart Peterson

• Anonymous

In-Kind:

• Black Mountain Ranch

• Edible Marin and Wine Country

• Stemple Creek Ranch

• Metal and Match Catering

• Recology Sonoma Marin

• Dancing Crow Vineyards

• Heidrun Meadery

• Equator Coffee

• Fish Restaurant

Chefs:

• Ollie K.C. Liedags of Hilda & Jesse

• Kim LaVere of Land & Local

• William Henpenn of Umbel Roots Farm

• Katie Reicher of Greens Restaurant

• Tamara Jo Hicks and Jessica Macleod of Tomales Farmstead Creamery

• Jesus “Chuy” Escobar of Scoma’s Sausalito

• Monique Feybesse and Paul Feybesse of Tarts de Feybesse

Purveyors:

Blooming Field Farm, Canteen Meats, Cowgirl Creamery, Cypress Flower Farm, Fire Swamp Provisions, Front Porch Farm, Full Belly Farm, lacopi Farms, K&J Orchards, Longer Table Farm, Luke Garrison Woodwork, Marin French Cheese Co, Marin Roots Farm, Nicasio Valley Cheese Co., Orchard Farms, Petit Teton Farm, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Solano Mushrooms, Star Route Farms, Sunblaze Ranch, Tomales Farmstead Creamery, Tomatero Organic Farm, Toscano Family Farm, Triple T Ranch and Farm, Umbel Roots Farm

A special thanks to our wonderful photographer Paige Green for capturing the magic of the evening.

We can’t wait to see you again next year. Until then, dig into the details of the future Center for Food and Agriculture, sign up to volunteer, or donate to continue the impact. We can’t do this without you!