In Virginia, the JK Community Farm is doing something remarkable: 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.
By the Numbers: 1.5 Million Pounds and Counting
Through its network, the JK Community Farm has grown and distributed close to 1.5 million pounds of organic produce to food-insecure neighbors. This is not surplus or waste — this is food grown specifically for donation.
What makes this even more remarkable is the farm’s staffing model. The 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.
The Volunteer Community: 32,000+ Strong
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 that this volunteer-powered model helps keep production costs low while maintaining high output and quality. Volunteers are not just free labor — they are community members who care about food insecurity and want to make a tangible difference.
Regenerative Agriculture: No Chemicals, No Pesticides
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.
This is a significant departure from typical food bank offerings. Research from the National Library of Medicine notes that many food pantries receive surplus, waste, or gleaned produce from grocery stores and for-profit farms. While that food serves an important purpose, it is often already days or weeks past harvest and less nutritionally dense. The packaged goods that supplement it lack the nutrients found in fresh whole foods.
The same research states that in the United States, food bank parcels are often insufficient in dairy, meat, fruits and vegetables, and micronutrients including calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.
Universal Access: No Barriers to Fresh Food
The JK Community Farm operates on a universal access model, providing fresh food through partner pantries at no cost to anyone who needs it, regardless of financial circumstances.
According to Kuhn, demand for fresh food has been growing. And the data backs her up.
Data from Feeding America reveal that hunger has increased by 4.4 percent since 2020. There are now more than 1 million food-insecure Virginians — about 12.1 percent of the state’s population.
Perhaps more surprising: roughly 39 percent of those food-insecure Virginians earn more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, making them ineligible for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and some other nutrition assistance programs.
These are working families, people with jobs, people who earn too much to qualify for federal food assistance but not enough to consistently afford fresh, healthy food.
Youth Education: Connecting Children to Their Food
The JK Community Farm also places a strong focus on youth education. Through its partnership with FoodPrints DC, it developed a food education curriculum that offers robust hands-on activities and field trip opportunities for visiting students.
By participating in the harvest and knowing their work feeds local families, students learn how they can make a tangible difference in their community.
“Many children are growing up far removed from how food is grown, while highly processed food is heavily marketed to them,” says Kuhn. “We believe it is important for kids of all backgrounds to understand where real food comes from, how it is grown, and how it supports their bodies.”
The farm believes that when children have an opportunity to connect to their food system, they will learn to love it. Kuhn shares a telling anecdote: “I have had a child introduce himself as an ‘indoor kid’ when he arrived, and by the end of the morning he was fully immersed in the farm, eager to help and explore.”
Listening to the Community: Annual Surveys
To meet the community’s needs, the JK Community Farm conducts annual surveys with both pantry partners and their clients.
Partner feedback gathers data on:
- Client preferences
- Storage capacity
- Logistics
- Packaging
- Food waste
Client assessments evaluate:
- Dietary patterns
- Produce and protein consumption
- Cultural food preferences
- Health challenges
- Barriers to access
This feedback allows the farm to grow culturally appropriate foods that families already know how to prepare, while providing education about unfamiliar varieties.
The goal is to deliver nutrient-dense food that supports health, respects cultural traditions, and can be easily used by the families served.
Dignity as a Core Value
One of the most powerful aspects of the JK Community Farm model is its emphasis on dignity.
“People should not have to choose between eating healthy food and paying for electricity,” says Kuhn. “Showing families that this food is grown intentionally for them, rather than as an afterthought, reinforces dignity, care, and the belief that everyone deserves access to the highest quality food possible.”
This is not charity that feels like charity. This is food grown with intention, harvested fresh, and delivered to families who need it — without judgment, without paperwork, without barriers.
The Problem with Traditional Food Pantries
Traditional food pantries often rely on donations from grocery stores, restaurants, and food drives. While well-intentioned, this model has significant limitations.
First, the food is often past its peak freshness — sometimes days or weeks old by the time it reaches a family’s table. Second, the nutritional density of such food declines over time. Third, the selection is unpredictable — families cannot count on finding the same items consistently.
Most importantly, families receiving food from traditional pantries often have no choice in what they receive. A family with dietary restrictions may receive food they cannot eat. A family with cultural food traditions may receive items they do not know how to prepare.
The JK Community Farm model addresses each of these problems. Food is harvested at peak freshness and distributed the same day. The farm grows what families actually want to eat. And because the farm listens to the community, it can adapt its planting to match preferences.
A Scalable Model?
The JK Community Farm is a single 150-acre farm in Virginia. But its model — volunteer-powered, regenerative, community-informed — has the potential to be replicated elsewhere.
Could other communities establish similar farms? Could churches, schools, or community organizations convert unused land into food donation farms? Could volunteer networks be organized in other states?
These are open questions. But the JK Community Farm has proven that it is possible to grow high-quality, organic produce at scale for donation — with minimal staff and thousands of volunteers.
The Role of Regenerative Agriculture in Food Security
Regenerative agriculture is often discussed in the context of climate change, soil health, and biodiversity. But the JK Community Farm demonstrates that regenerative practices also have a role to play in food security.
By avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the farm produces healthier food for vulnerable populations. By building soil health, the farm ensures long-term productivity. By using no-till or minimal-till practices, the farm conserves water and prevents erosion.
In other words, regenerative agriculture is not just good for the planet — it is good for people facing food insecurity.
The Challenge of SNAP Ineligibility
One of the most striking statistics in the article is this: 39 percent of food-insecure Virginians earn too much to qualify for SNAP.
These are working families. They have jobs. They pay taxes. But they cannot afford rent, utilities, transportation, and fresh, healthy food.
For these families, food banks and pantries are not a supplement — they are a lifeline. And organizations like the JK Community Farm are stepping in to provide that lifeline with fresh, nutrient-dense food.
