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Harvest for Health

Addressing hunger and malnutrition From the Ground Up

The Harvest for Health initiative encompasses several projects of the Capital Area Food Bank that strive to connect Washington, DC metropolitan area residents with local sources of fresh and healthy foods. During a time when many of our meals consist of foods grown in far away places, supporting small farms and sources of sustainable agriculture located right here, close to home, not only ensures that we all have regular access to good food but also helps to secure those sources exist in the future. Our Harvest for Health Initiative focuses primarily on bringing healthy food choices to urban communities located east of the Anacostia River, where convenient stores and take-out restaurants - very few of which offer fresh fruits and vegetables - tend to be the most accessible sources for something to eat.

For more information on our programs, click here.

Read a response to the Farm Bill 2007 written in conjunction with the Capital Area Food Bank, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Clagett Farm, and Harvest for Health Department. Farm Bill Letter

From the Ground Up at Clagett Farm
Growing healthy futures for local families and farmsFrom the Ground Up at Clagett Farm (FGU) is a joint effort of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Capital Area Food Bank to bring nutritious, fresh produce to communities of all income levels throughout the DC area. In addition to raising vegetables in an environmentally sensitive manner on 20 acres in Upper Marlboro, MD, FGU works to educate the public about the relationship between agriculture, our environment, the food supply and social justice.  Nearly half of the chemical-free produce harvested by FGU is donated to high-need families in the Washington, D.C. metro area, and the remainder is sold as shares to area residents through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

 

For more information about the CSA at Clagett Farm, please visit www.clagettfarm.org.  Clagett Farm will begin registering CSA members by March 1, 2009.


Farm Youth Initiative
Fresh Food for Strong Minds and Bodies

Youth engage in hands-on-activities and lessons in Kids Cafe programs and at Clagett Farm during the summer.  They are taught the benefit of eating fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as the origins of those foods and how to access them while provided with an educational experience on a working farm. 
For more information, call Susan Topping at 202-526-5344 ext. 301 or email: toppings@cfoodbank.org

Half-Price Shares

Did you know that we offer 1/2 priced shares for neighbors in our community? If you or someone you know qualifies for Food Stamps, WIC, or free or reduced school meals, you may be eligible to receive a full season of fresh, chemical-free produce for half the regular CSA cost! All share members receive the same benefits regardless of income.  Payment can be split into two seasonal payments.  Food Stamps/EBT, credit, debit, and checks accepted.  If you would like more information, please call (301) 627 4662 or visit www.clagettfarm.org

Share the Harvest Gift Project is a collaborative effort between the Capital Area Food Bank's Harvest for Health program and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Clagett Farm to bring healthy, local produce to your neighbors in need.  Find out how you can Share the Harvest.
 

From the Ground Up in the Community
at Children of Mine Center

This new initiative works to educate youth at the Children of Mine Center in the Anacostia community of southeast Washington, DC about nutrition and the social and environmental benefits of growing fresh produce through a hands-on gardening experience.  The goals of this partnership are: to educate youth about where their food comes from and the basics of how to grow their own food; to educate about the important role fresh produce plays in a healthy diet and provide the skills necessary for youth to be able to make informed food choices; to engage youth and families in the "how to's" of cooking with fresh produce; and to produce a safe garden space that instills a sense of pride in the children of Children of Mine Center and creates a place of beauty in the community.

For pictures from our Garden Building Day Saturday April 26, 2008, click here.

Ward 8 Farmers Market

Provides fresh and chemical free produce to low-income residents of Ward 8 in the District of Columbia.  The Capital Area Food bank is proud to be a sponsor of the Ward 8 Farmers Market to ensure that healthy, local foods are accessible East of the River.

For the best in local produce, egss, honey and other products, please visit the Ward 8 Farmers Market on Saturdays from 9am until 2 pm on the corner of Martin Luther King., Jr. and Alabama Avenues, SE starting June 6, 2009. 

The Anacostia Farmers Market packed up its tents for the last time on November 14, 2007.

The Anacostia Farmers Market provided healthy, fresh produce to SE, D.C. for nine seasons.  Nutrition information and cooking demonstrations were regular elements of market days.   In lieu of the AFM, we are supporting the Ward 8 Farmers Market and working with youth at Children of Mine Center in Ward 8.