Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    Arcadia's Mobile Markets launched 2 months early in response to the pandemic because our customer base, which has trouble accessing wholesome food under the best of circumstances, needed safe, open air markets with affordable food. We distributed more than 16,000 lbs of food for free in March and April. From June to November we served 6 low-food access neighborhoods with a full-diet farm market, and offered pre-order only markets at four locations that were in locations too physically constricted to have a socially distanced farm market experience. Despite seeing an overall reductions in revenue because of social distancing and changes to our schedule, our SNAP sales (food stamps) increased by more than $3,000 over 2019 (our largest year ever) and the average SNAP sale transaction doubled over 2019. This demonstrates the high value our customers place on the Mobile Market's food, access and service, and their confidence in their safety at our markets. Together with the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, we distributed more than 10,000 free COVID one-week food boxes, a nutrient dense box of produce, staples, and prepared foods to sustain one person for a week.Arcadia's Outreach and Education Programs came to a sudden halt as schools and Community Centers shut down due to the pandemic. We quickly understood that children and families around Richmond Highway would struggle to access food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. This due to job loss and that a large percentage of students receive most of their meals through the Free and Reduced Lunch Programs at school. We then shifted our time and efforts to finding different ways to offer fresh produce that could be safely and consistently delivered to families in this area. To accomplish this we reached out to our community partners. Neighborhood and Community Services welcomed us at Gum Springs Community Center where for 17 weeks we distributed over 19k pounds of fresh produce alongside Food and Nutrition Services, which delivered prepared meals to school families. Fairfax County Health Departments Community Outreach connected us to two local volunteer groups who became the manpower to distribute 50 boxes of fresh produce for 8 weeks to families who had tested positive for COVID-19 and were home bound and needed to access food during quarantine. In the fall we expanded our food distribution to include Stoney Brook Community Center donating over 2k pounds of fresh produce every week since the month of August. Stoney Brook Community Center is a one of our community partners whose residents have suffered from job loss and food insecurity. Rising Hope Methodist Church is a local food pantry open twice a week and Arcadia has donated over 1k pounds of fresh produce. Arcadia is also donating 10 weekly shares of our CSA program to help families in need from Bryant High School. Once schools were back in session, the Outreach Program contacted local schools to assess their needs and, starting in August 2020, assumed responsibility for two school gardens, turning them into food production (rather than educational) gardens. Working with volunteers and the school's Outdoor Educators weve grown over 550 pounds of produce at Stratford Landing Elementary School and Hollin Meadows Elementary School combined. This food is harvested and delivered, supplementing the rest of Arcadias food relief efforts.The Arcadia Veteran Farmer Program trained 3 Veteran Farm Fellows and 22 Veteran Farmer Reservists in our year-long training programs. The pandemic forced the closure of our farm to the public and our volunteers, shifting a greater burden of labor onto our small farm staff. They responded heroically, growing large quantities of food for our mobile markets and to donate to local food pantries. 2020 was the third year of the Arcadia Veteran Farm Incubator, with 4 farms and five farmers, including a flower farm and pollinator experience that because a popular, socially distanced outdoor activity-by-appointment for area residents and was named by DCist.org as one of the top activities to do in the DC area in September. We also planted a 75-tree and bush fruit orchard on our farm, the start of a new training "classroom" for future Arcadia Veteran Farmers.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $877.6K

  • Sustainable Agriculture and Food Access Programs

    SEE SCHEDULE O FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS; THE VETERAN FARMER PROGRAM; FARM EDUCATION PROGRAMS; AND FOOD ACCESS AND FOOD JUSTICE PROGRAMS. 1. ARCADIA'S VETERAN FARMER PROGRAM TRAINS MILITARY VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL, AND IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERSIN THE BUSINESS AND CRAFT OF FARMING. SINCE 2016, ARCADIA HAS TRAINED 145 PROSPECTIVE FARMERS, WITH NEARLY HALF FARMING ON THEIR OWN OPERATIONS AFTER COMPLETING TRAINING. THERE ARE THREE TRAINING TRACKS: THE VETERAN FARMER RESERVE, WHICH MEETS ONE WEEKEND A MONTH FOR 12 MONTHS FOR CLASSROOM AND HANDS ON CULTIVATION TRAINING, BUSINESS TRAINING, AND FARM FIELD TRIPS TO LEARN ON SITE; THE FARM FELLOWSHIP, WHICH PAYS VETERANS TO APPRENTICE ON ARCADIA'S NONPROFIT VEGETABLE FARM, PREPARING THEM TO OPERATE FARMS OF THEIR OWN OR TO WORK ON OTHER PROFESSIONAL FARMS WITH THE REQUISITE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE; AND THE VETERAN FARM INCUBATOR, WHICH GRANTS UP TO 1/4 ACRE OF ARCADIA FARM LAND TO GRADUATES OF EITHER TRAINING PROGRAM WITH A THREE YEAR LEASE. THE INCUBATOR FARMS ARE INDEPENDENT OPERATIONS AND GIVE PARTICIPANTS REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE RUNNING OF FARM OF THEIR OWN, SUPPORTED BY OUR PROFESSIONAL FARMERS, INFRASTRUCTURE, TOOLS AND CONNECTIONS TO MARKETS. 2. ARCADIA WORKS TO EXPAND SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE FOOD ACCESS IN THE GREATER WASHINGTON, DC REGION. ARCADIA'S MOBILE MARKETS HAVE SERVED WASHINGTON DC SINCE 2012, CONNECTING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT LACK ACCESS TO FRESH HEALTHY FOOD WITH A COMPLETE DIET OF HIGH QUALITY, LOCALLY GROWN FOODS. SINCE 2012, THE MOBILE MARKETS HAD SOLD AND DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN $1.6 MILLION IN HEALTHY FOOD, WITH MORE THAN $1.3 MILLION OF THAT PAID TO SMALL LOCAL FARMERS. THE MOBILE MARKETS ACCEPT AND DOUBLE FEDERAL NUTRITION BENEFITS. WHILE THE MARKETS ARE LESS THAN 2% OF ALL FARMERS MARKET REVENUES IN DC, THEY REDEEM 45% OF ALL SNAP BENEFITS AT FARMERS MARKETS IN THE CITY. 3. ARCADIA'S FARM EDUCATION PROGRAM OFFERS FARM CAMP AND ON-FARM FIELD TRIPS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, GIVING THEM IMMERSIVE, HANDS ON EXPERIENCE WITH HEALTHY FOOD AT ITS SOURCE. SINCE 2011, FARM CAMP HAS WELCOMED MORE THAN 1200 CAMPERS, WITH MORE THAN 240 ON FULL NEEDS BASED SCHOLARSHIPS. FIELD TRIPS HAVE EDUCATED MORE THAN 10,000 STUDENTS. ARCADIA'S FARM EDUCATION PROGRAM ALSO ENCOMPASSES THE LIVE, EAT, GROW PROGRAM. IN 2018, WITH FUNDING FROM THE NORTHERN VIRGINIAHEALTH FOUNDATION (NVHF), WE LAUNCHED THE LIVE, EAT, GROW (L.E.G.) ROUTE 1 PROGRAM WHICH FOCUSES ON INCREASING NUTRITION SECURITY AND HEALTH EQUITY IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES ALONG ROUTE 1. THE L.E.G. PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO EMPOWER COMMUNITIES. WE LISTEN TO AND WORKWITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND FAMILIES TO DEVELOP UNIQUE SOLUTIONS TO FOOD INSECURITY, INCLUDINGGROWING FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO ENGAGE IN THESE EFFORTS WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF GROWING A HEALTHIER ROUTE 1 COMMUNITY.ALONG WITH SUPPORTING SCHOOL GARDENS, ARCADIA HELPS DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL AND PRODUCTIVE GARDENS AT COMMUNITY CENTERS WHERE RESIDENTS CAN ENJOY PLANTING AND HARVESTING FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES, AND EXPERIENCE THE PROVEN PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARDENING. LEG SUPPORTS 13 SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY GARDENS WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, SEEDLING, LABOR, VOLUNTEERS, AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS AND GARDEN EDUCATORS. 4. ARCADIA LEADS AND MANAGES THE MID-ATLANTIC FOOD RESILIENCE AND ACCESS COALITION (MAFRAC), WHICH STARTED IN 2020 DURING THE FOOD CRISIS ENGENDERED BY THE PANDEMIC WHEN GROCERIES AND FARMERS MARKETS SHUT DOWN, INTERSTATE TRUCKING SLOWED DOWN, AND FARMERS WERE FACING PLOWING UNDER THEIR CROPS. MAFRAC RAISED MORE THAN $1 MILLION TO FUND GRANTS TO MORE THAN 200 NONPROFITS ,FOOD PANTRIES, AND FARMS TO PURCHASE LOCALLY GROWN FOOD TO FEED RESIDENTS OF THE MIDATLANTIC AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC. THESE INVESTMENTS IN BOTH LOCAL FARMS AND A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH FRONT LINE EMERGENCY FOOD ORGANIZATIONS STRENGTHENS AND CREATES A MORE RESILIENT REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM THAT WILL BE MORE EQUIPPED TO WEATHER THE NEXT FOOD CRISIS. MAFRAC GATHERS STAKEHOLDERS FROM DC, MARYLAND, AND VIRGINIA IN WEEKLY CALLS TO SHARE EXCESS FOOD RESOURCES, PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND SUPPORT PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN LIKE-MINDED ORGANIZATIONS AND FARMERS.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.5M