Fruits and vegetables are vital to a healthy diet. Our monthly farmers-market style Community Marketplaces put high quality fresh produce within reach for people who are food insecure.
Helping the community thrive
Each month, our Community Marketplaces in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland set out thousands of pounds of fresh produce in high-density neighborhoods with high rates of food insecurity. For no cost, members of the community can select seasonal fruits and vegetables and find recipes for nutritious meals. Community Marketplaces are inspired by farmers markets and often feature cooking demonstrations and additional services such as housing and utility assistance, health screenings, and more, which are offered by partner organizations. Community Marketplaces are true community events and provide people with the food and resources they need to live better and healthier lives.
How to become a Community Marketplace partner or volunteer
To help our Community Marketplaces be as successful as possible, we welcome volunteers and invite community resource organizations to join us in helping the community. Some of the services that work well with our Community Marketplaces include health screenings, pet food and supplies distribution, nutritional information distributions, cooking demonstrations, and snacks for kids.
If your organization provides a resource that you would like included in our Community Marketplaces, please contact directdistributionsupport@capitalareafoodbank.org.
If you are interested in volunteering, you can learn more and sign up here.
How to get food from a Community Marketplace
Participating in a Community Marketplace is simple. We recommend arriving to your area’s marketplace around 9 a.m. on the day of the distribution, with a container to hold your produce. We suggest a reusable shopping bag or a rolling cart. Stop by the registration desk and fill out the registration form, which asks for contact information, household information, and a few other details. Once that’s finished, we’ll give you a key card, just like the ones you get at a grocery store. Keep this key card and bring it to every Community Marketplace that you attend to enter the marketplace.
Community Marketplace times and locations.
D.C.
When: First Saturday of each month
Where: 1701 Gales Street, NE (Ward 7) – Rosedale Recreation Center
Virginia
When: Second Saturday of each month
Where: 1215 Pinecrest Road – Reston Community Marketplace/Southgate Community Center
When: Fourth Saturday of each month
Where: 909 S. Dinwiddie Street – Arlington Community Marketplace/Arlington Mill Community Center
Maryland
When: Third Saturday of each month
Where: 8615 McLain Ave Suite A, Glenarden, MD 20706 – Glen Arden Recreation Center