The State Fair of Texas has a unique appreciation for the local support that makes such a big event possible every year and aims to give back through our partnerships with local organizations and initiatives while expanding outreach programs and placing a special priority on promoting community involvement. Our impact focuses on three areas that complement our mission - social capital, human capital, and financial capital. Our core initiatives concentrate on fostering long-term sustainability by targeting issues at their roots - building the capacity of nonprofits, supporting education in local schools, and proactively examining opportunities for economic development.
As a neighbor in the South Dallas/Fair Park community, we are committed to supporting nonprofit organizations that are providing services in this area. We understand that these organizations, like ours, depend on year-round generosity from citizens, volunteers, corporations, and other nonprofit organizations. In order to extend our hand to the members of our community that are bringing about positive change, the State Fair of Texas offers grants and sponsorships to local nonprofit organizations at specific times throughout the year.
Looking to the future, we strive to continue to listen and build relationships in the community and are excited to explore new ways to leverage our resources.
Our Needs
The Big Tex Philanthropic Giving initatives include programs like Big Tex Urban Farms. Introduced in 2016, Big Tex Urban Farms is an innovative mobile agriculture system comprised of planting beds and hydroponic systems housed in the heart of Fair Park. Big Tex Uban Farms operates 365 days of the calendar year.
The mission of Big Tex Urban Farms is to create a food system that:
• Invests financial and human capital into surrounding Fair Park neighborhoods and companies.
• Connects like-minded food-related organizations to each other.
• Provides free, fresh, and organic produce to entities focused on hunger issues and healthy lifestyle programs.
• Adds community gardens throughout Southern Dallas through our “Farming Farms” program. In its seventh full year of production, the Farms reached a milestone in its program history.
Announced in 2018, the Million Servings Mission committed the State Fair of Texas and its signature program, Big Tex Urban Farms to grow and donate one million servings to the local community. In less than four years, the State Fair of Texas made that goal a reality — donating 1,000,000 servings of fresh produce to the South Dallas community for our neighbors in need.
GARDENING WITH THE COMMUNITY
Our work through the Farms isn’t limited to what we do inside Fair Park. A key part of Big Tex Urban Farms’ mission is to initiate and participate in outreach projects in our local neighborhood and beyond. Big Tex Urban Farms continues to make regular produce donations to the organizations.
GLOBAL PRESENCE
Since its inception, Big Tex Urban Farms has been a unique model of sustainable urban farming in the state, nation, and world. The Farms have become a true “innovation destination” for the global horticulture and agriculture industry, welcoming private entities, government officials, and delegates from developing countries to see the opportunities the Big Tex Urban Farms model presents to their unique situations.