“Good Food Bucks: Double Fresh” Wins Big Ahead of Premier

Clifton, NJ – When City Green, a non-profit urban farming and gardening organization, and Cage Free Projects teamed up in August of 2019 to create a PSA to spread the word of the Good Food Bucks initiative, a farmers market incentive program, they had a clear mission. Together they would spread the word of affordable and healthy food to as many families as they could reach. Nearly a year later, the announcement is set to premier on live television on June 25, 2020, but not before winning several awards, including Best Actor and Best Director from film festivals in New York City, Los Angeles and London. 

The acclaim that the project drew attests to the curiosity surrounding local farmers markets, and it was made possible by the spirited integrity that was fostered by all involved while working at the City Green headquarters in Clifton, NJ. That spirited integrity was, however, ignited two months prior, when Director Lawrence Greenberg of Cage Free Projects and City Green Board Member Janice Erzmoneit unexpectedly met at a fundraising event just 35 minutes from Clifton, at Basking Ridge Country Club. 

The fundraiser that saw the two come together, held in June, was a silent auction luncheon organized by Greenberg’s team at CASA, an organization that advocates for children in foster care. Erzmoneit, also a CASA Board Member, took her seat next to Greenberg and the two struck up a conversation. Greenberg had been offering his directing services as an auction item, happy to work with anyone with video creation needs in order to bring money into the organization. Unsuspecting that Erzmoneit may be very interested in bidding, he shared some stories of his past work, and that was when the wheels began turning. 

“I knew that I would donate his services to City Green before I knew that my bid had won,” Erzomniet said. Sitting next to the indy film director she had just befriended, Erzmoneit decided to stay true to her generous roots and take the opportunity to help two great organizations. Upon being declared the winner of the auction, she promptly donated Greenberg’s services to City Green to support the “Good Food Bucks” program, the promotion of which has been supported by the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program.

Erzmoneit’s decision was admittedly as easy one for her to make, as her ties to City Green predate her Board Member status. She remembers stories of her father, who in the 1930’s enjoyed biking alongside the fields and watching them change with the seasons. So when she began working with the farm, and eventually became a Board Member, it was a family tradition carried on. 

Greenberg, previously unaware of City Green, had been excited to learn from Erzmoneit about the “Good Food Bucks” program, and continued his due diligence by visiting five participating farmers markets. He was connected with and continued to be educated by City Green’s Food Access Department, Jasmine Moreano and Lisa Martin, who would become the primary liaisons from the farm. Martin explains the Good Food Bucks program as: 

The Garden State Good Food Network provides farmers markets with the ability to offer more affordable farm fresh food to New Jersey’s SNAP (food stamp) customers. Participating farmers markets are able to give a dollar for dollar SNAP-match in “Good Food Bucks” to all SNAP customers shopping at the market. These Good Food Bucks can be used to purchase additional fresh fruits and vegetables and provide additional income to farmers.  

Together, Moreano, Martin and Greenberg set to work in planning the Public Service Announcement, and establish everything that they would need on the ground. As the details of the project became clear, Greenberg’s plan of action started to take form. The only thing he needed now was a team around him to launch the production.

Drawing from his previous work he then recruited Marti Davis, an award winning producer, to the effort.To assist Greenberg and Davis in making the project come to life, One of Greenberg’s prodigal students, Cinematographer and Editor Michele Lebiedzwicz was brought on board as a set of creative eyes. Greenberg was then able to cast Actors Chamar Jeter, known for his work on Law and Order and other TV shows and Isabella Ragomo from The Philadelphia Acting Studio, where Greenberg teaches alongside the school’s Owner Bernard Glincosky.

With Lebiedzwicz, Jeter and Ragomo working under the thoughtful leadership of Greenberg and Davis, and with integral assistance from Martin, the project was underway. The shoot took place throughout August 2019, and post-production extended into the fall months.

The culmination of the PSA project arrived in early January 2020, when two versions of “Good Food Bucks: Double Fresh” had officially been produced by Greenberg and Davis. A 60-second, as well as a 30-second, format were created. In a stroke of confidence and ambition the group would submit “Good Food Bucks: Double Fresh” to a handful of film festivals including: Royal Wolf Film Awards, New York Film Awards, Festigious, Aphrodite Film Awards, Nassau Film Festival and The Best Shorts Competition. The response that was garnered was an unprecedented surprise.

“Good Food Bucks: Double Fresh” has won seven awards to date, including: Best Actor (Chamar Jeter), Best Director (Lawrence Greenberg), Best Editing (Michele Lebiedzwicz), Best Trailer, Best Commercial (x2), and Award of Recognition: PSA. 

Cage Free Projects is immensely thankful for the awards, and this recognition is truly appreciated by City Green and all of those involved. The attention received by the project sheds some light on the love and sense of community that people inherently find in farmers markets. 

Perhaps the key ingredient to the project’s success is the unchanging principle laid forth by Greenberg and Erzmoniet at the founding of it. “What feels so good is helping people who would otherwise be eating junk because they can’t afford healthy food,” Greenberg said after winning the awards. While the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the size of the PSA premier to a Facebook Live Stream from City Green Headquarters, the impact of the work done by Erzmoneit, Greenberg, Davis and the whole cast and crew will be felt for some time to come. The PSA will air across several channels and platforms, drawing up new business for farmers, and helping spread the word of healthy, affordable options at farmers markets across the Garden State.

City Green’s statewide Good Food Buck program is supported in part by Partners for Health Foundation and New Jersey Health Initiatives through the New Jersey Healthy Communities Network. You can learn more about the program by visiting GoodFoodBucks.com.

Click here to see a behind the scenes look at the shoot.

Story by Jarod Meyer.