Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheila Dugan.
Hi Sheila, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Pottstown FARM (Farm & Artisan Regional Market) was created 11 years ago by several local community members who hoped to bring fresh foods and artisan products to the area. Pottstown is known as a food desert, so it wasn’t just about bringing the food to town, but also about finding ways to help those in our community gain financial access to it without giving it away for free. We run 3 programs at the market: The Two Bite Club for all children 12 and under. This is a free club for all. The children try an item at the market and then receive a FARM Coin, which they can then spend there. Through our color-coding process, we can track where the coins are spent and have found that 85% of the RED Coins went back to the vendor selling that week’s item. The SNAP Incentives allow for every $10 added to an EBT Card, an additional TAN Farm Coin is given, worth $5 each, increasing buying power for those on SNAP. Lastly, we purchase & receive donations to support our partnership with Operation143 (originally Operation Backpack) in providing fresh food to families who will not have access to it now that the school year has ended. Our visiting community members help “Fill the bag with Hope” each week for about a dozen local families. We average 25 vendors each year and love each and every one of them!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all! We have learned that running a good market takes a lot of energy, time, and commitment. The entire market is funded by grants, sponsorships, and vendor fees. This has proven tougher during hard economic times, and we have had to add fundraising to our daily tasks. Our director was given her first raise in 2025, only to have it removed in 2026 due to financial struggles. But the commitment is what keeps her moving forward, and the reward is seeing her own community grow healthier. and her having a hand in watching it all grow. Pottstown is about 65% below the poverty level, and her commitment has been unending in keeping the programs at FARM in full swing and finding the funds to keep them going.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the director of the Pottstown FARM. I also run a small business, and until my husband retired in December 2025, we owned a small restaurant together. We raised 5 children in the meantime and are happily adding son and daughter-in-law to the family!
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
My drive and personality (though it sometimes gets me in trouble – LOL!) I’ve been involved in many projects over the years here in Pottstown, even though we moved here from Delaware County. Our whole family’s heart & soul are a part of this community. I am part of the Pottstown Area Food Collaboration, working with many other nonprofits to help sustain farming and healthy eating. I am also part of the arts group that brings the arts to the community, with local artists participating in painting murals and light boxes throughout the community. I have truly embraced Pottstown for a lifetime.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pottstownfarm.org
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/pottstownfarm
