Today we’d like to introduce you to Brady Farmer.
Hi Brady, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Brady’s Story
I grew up a sick child from a poor single mother in Tacoma, WA. I started cooking at 5 years old as I had to pretty much take care of myself most of my life. In 2001, I begin my studies in culinary arts and also introduced myself into the event organizing business. Those two things had a huge impact on my life, making me move to Los Angeles in 2004. In California, I had the opportunity to build a client list with some of the most important people in Hollywood: Beyonce and Jay Z, Robert Downey Jr, and Simon Cowell, to name a few.
2011 came and it was time to take a big project that was always important to me out of the paper, the Devoted to Youth Foundation started in hopes to make a difference in my own way. Like every foundation, our path has been hard but full of satisfaction for being able to help so many people.
Mariana’s Story
Born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from a family with a stable financial situation, my parents worked hard to provide the best of the best for my brother and me. At the age of 17 I moved to San Diego with the intention of learning English so that I could attend college the following year in England. I graduated my BA in Fashion Design attending the London and Milan, Italy, Campus of Istituto Marangoni. I then returned to Brazil in 2014, where I built a curriculum in the fashion field, working for large companies in the industry.
In 2017, I returned to the States to study costume. For two and a half years in Los Angeles, I worked a lot in Hollywood on films, series, and TV shows, and I also completed my specialization in Costume Design.
Our Story
In 2020, a month before lockdown, we met in the building complex where we lived in Marina Del Rey, the year of pandemic, which the world stopped, and for us, it was the year that changed our lives. We met in February, spent the most insecure months together, decided to get married in November, and soon after became pregnant with our first daughter.
Los Angeles every day seemed like a city further away than we imagined as the place where we would like to raise our children. On a trip to San Diego, we realized that here would be a more appropriate place to build our future.
In 2021, we moved, and in August 2021, when our baby was born while still in the hospital, we also decided that we would dedicate 100% of our time to the Foundation.
The idea of starting a Farmers Market came from the need to obtain a stable income so that our causes can move forward without depending on other resources.
Point Loma was our first choice because it is one of the most renowned neighborhoods in San Diego, has a united community that would embrace our cause, in addition to being Mariana’s first “home” in the USA.
Today our projects and fundraising events allow us to help those who really need it the most, young people and their families in situations of need who fight for an opportunity for a better life.
Recapalooza, Brazilian Day Festival, Culture Fest, Annual Halloween Event, Winter Fest, DTY Gala, and, of course, our Farmers Markets are the fuel of our social causes.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Like every project we have our ups and downs, with the Farmers Market our biggest challenge has been consistency and keeping the project alive. The economy has been our biggest enemy; however, we work with micro-entrepreneurs, and many times, these are the ones who suffer the most.
We also see an increase in the number of families seeking help, families that are often in an emergency situation for the first time due to the economic crisis in which the world finds itself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
Devoted to Youth Foundation is a non‐profit 501 (c) 3 organization whose primary goal is to help underprivileged youth and families in need. By listening to each individual, we give more than just a donation, we strive to provide opportunities, hope and the tools for those who want a better life.
We are also the Foundation that hosts every Sunday the Point Loma Farmers Market at the Point Loma High Schools Parking Lot.
Any big plans?
We hope to be able to continue growing and reaching more families through our sponsors and events that enable our foundation to implement our social projects. We also plan to open more farmers’ markets, and grow our non-profit
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.devotedtoyouth.org/ | https://www.pointlomafarmersmarket.com/ | https://braziliandayfestival.com/
- Instagram: @devotedtoyouth @pointlomafarmersmarket @braziliandayfestival @culturefest
- Facebook: @devotedtoyouth @pointlomafarmersmarket @braziliandayfestival @culturefest
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/point-loma-farmers-market-san-diego
