In Virginia, the volunteer-run nonprofit JK Community Farm is growing 100 percent of its food to donate to the state’s food-insecure population. This model aims to address nutritional and supply gaps in current food pantry distribution chains.

The 150-acre regenerative operation works with a network of community partners, including food kitchens such as Loudoun Hunger Relief, Food for Others, Arlington Food Assistance Center, and DC Central Kitchen, to get produce from field to table as quickly as possible. “In many cases, food pantry partners are picking up and distributing our food on the same day it is harvested, often straight out of the field,” the farm’s Executive Director Samantha Kuhn tells Food Tank about the volunteer-run nonprofit.

Through this network, the JK Community Farm has grown and distributed close to 1.5 million pounds of organic produce to food-insecure neighbors. The volunteer-run nonprofit farm operates with a staff of just three people, relying heavily on its volunteer community to plant and harvest. Staff members work alongside volunteers in the fields, providing clear instruction and creating an environment where people of all ages and skill levels—from complete beginners to experienced gardeners—feel capable and valued.

Since its founding in 2018, the farm has welcomed over 32,768 volunteers. Each year, roughly 4,500 people volunteer through individual shifts, internships, and corporate group projects. Kuhn explains this model helps keep production costs low while maintaining high output and quality.

As a regenerative farm, the JK Community Farm uses no chemical fertilizers or pesticides in its production model. “The quality of food we provide is something that is uncommon in emergency food settings,” says Kuhn.

Research from the National Library of Medicine notes that many food pantries receive surplus, waste, or gleaned produce and protein from grocery stores and for-profit farms and markets, supplemented by shelf-stable processed items. While that food serves an important purpose, the produce and protein are often already days or weeks past harvest and less nutritionally dense, while the packaged goods lack the nutrients found in fresh whole foods.

Read the full article about JK Community Farm by Annie Means at Food Tank.