As we prepare for our 30th year in 2026, we are taking the opportunity to reflect and plan for the future. As we continue to grow, so does our understanding of how to best express our mission and impact. That’s why we’re excited to share our updated mission and our new impact statement.
Why We Updated Our Mission
As Red Wiggler has expanded its reach and deepened its work, we realized our mission needed to reflect something larger: the sense of belonging, well-being, and community that grows out of our fields.
Our new mission reads:
Red Wiggler cultivates belonging and well-being through care farming and community-building.
At Red Wiggler Care Farm, people with and without developmental disabilities come together to work, learn, grow, and share food.
The Care Farming Network increases capacity, builds community, and raises awareness for care farms across the country.
This update acknowledges not just what we do, but why it matters. It captures our dual focus: cultivating belonging and well-being here on the farm, and expanding that impact through the Care Farming Network nationally. It reflects a broader ecosystem — one where people of all abilities, backgrounds, and geographies come together through the shared values of care farming.
Why an Impact Statement Matters
While a mission statement defines what an organization does and why, an impact statement describes the difference that work makes. It captures the change we hope to see in the world as a result of our efforts.
Our new impact statement does exactly that:
As a result of Red Wiggler’s work, people connected to care farms experience belonging and well-being that equip them to make choices and define their own sense of purpose.
Together, these create opportunities for people to shape a life of their own design.
We hope that this impact statement will help us measure and communicate the difference we are making. Anyone that comes to Red Wiggler or attends a Care Farming Network Monthly Member Gathering can feel the impact we are having, but we want to make sure our supporters near and far can truly understand the outcomes of our work.
So What’s Next?
Our updated mission and impact statement give us language that fully captures our evolution over 30 years and helps us share our story with clarity, compassion, and conviction. Together with our community, we’re cultivating more than food. We’re cultivating belonging, well-being, and opportunity for people to shape lives of their own design.
We hope you’ll join us in the many ways we plan to celebrate our 30th anniversary next year and have a chance to experience Red Wiggler’s impact for yourself.