The Living Lakes’ Heritage Inc. board of directors has voted to dissolve the organization. Living Lakes’ main project, the Farm Market Kitchen in Algoma, will be closing effective Aug. 31, the group said Thursday.

“We are saddened to reach this conclusion,” Living Lakes’ Board President Jane Sweasy said in the announcement. “In the past few years, Living Lakes’ has developed core processors, diversified revenue streams by adding co-packing services and created a series of new fund-raising events. Despite our best efforts, economic factors like the cost of maintaining the facility, servicing clients and providing proper staffing; continue to overshadow our revenue-generating ability.”

The board’s statement said it is hopeful other local organizations will be able to step in and continue the work Living Lakes’ Heritage started nearly a dozen years ago.

The Farm Market Kitchen is a regional, shared-use food processing business incubator preserving the unique agricultural heritage of Northeastern Wisconsin. Its programs were intended to educate and foster new food processors and entrepreneurs by renting licensed kitchen space. Technical support, business assistance programs and custom processing services were also available.

Over the years Farm Market Kitchen has helped more than 200 small businesses and educated thousands of people about the importance of local food, entrepreneurship, agriculture and economic development.

The announcement said the most immediate order of business is to provide a smooth and supportive transition for the current food processing entrepreneurs to other facilities. The board will also provide relocation assistance for groups that have reserved the facility for upcoming parties and events.

“We thank our dedicated staff, countless volunteers, the community and our clients for supporting our mission and the numerous fund-raising events we held over the years to support it,” Sweasy said.

The decision to dissolve is not one the board takes lightly, she said.

“We are saddened the economics of the facility and our program mix is not sustainable,” Sweasy said. “We are hopeful the many small businesses we have helped get started will thrive in a new environment and continue the legacy of our organization.”

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press Gazette: Algoma Farm Market Kitchen to close