Milford Market Storm Sparks Community Fundraiser for Vendors

The storm hit the Milford Farmers' Market last week with brutal speed. Courtney Cole, who runs Courtney Bakes, described the event as terrifying and unlike anything she had ever seen. She said it arrived in under a minute, leaving her tent torn and most of her goods floating in knee‑deep water. About 90 percent of her products were ruined, along with everything she had built over three years.

An employee at the local advertising agency TMV Group filmed the chaos from above. The video captured the flood and the scattered stalls. It was shared on social media and quickly went viral, gathering close to a million views. The TMV team saw the attention as a chance to turn a negative moment into something helpful.

Managing Partner Joe Morden and his staff decided to launch an online fundraiser. Their goal is to collect between $16,000 and $20,000, which will be split evenly among all affected vendors. They plan to use their advertising expertise to promote the cause and help vendors restock damaged inventory.

Cole expressed deep gratitude for the community’s response. She said the willingness of strangers to help restored her faith in humanity. The support, she added, means everything to the vendors who lost their livelihoods.

The market will reopen on Thursday, with vendors returning from 3  p.m. to 7  p.m. on Liberty Street. Shoppers are invited to stop by and support the local businesses that rebounded after the storm.