Nonprofit Loudoun County Farm Donates 1M Pounds Of Food In 5 Years

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — A nonprofit farm in Loudoun County has reached a milestone of donating 1 million pounds of food as it celebrates its 5th anniversary.

JK Community Farm, located in Purcellville, was started in 2018 to help families struggling with hunger in the DC region with farm-grown, chemical-free produce and proteins. All products created on the farm are donated and distributed through nonprofit partners Loudoun Hunger Relief, Food for Others, Arlington Food Assistance Center and DC Central Kitchen.

The nonprofit says it has grown and donated 1 million pounds of food since its inception and expects to create 980,000 servings of food for food-insecure residents.

“It exciting to be part of the growth of the JK Community Farm and see its impact on fighting hunger in our region. In addition to growing crops, we are also working to engage the community through meaningful nonprofit partnerships, volunteer opportunities, field trips and food education programs," said Samantha Kuhn, executive director of JK Community Farm. "We look forward to the farm expanding, thriving and serving even more people and the community in years to come."

JK Community Farm has a staff of three people and teams of volunteers from companies, civic groups and the public. The farm grew 50,000 pounds of food in its first year and increased its capacity in the years since. Last year, the farm donated 248,000 pounds of produce and protein, helping it reach the 1 million pounds mark.

Growth of volunteers also helped the farm's production, as it opened with 200 volunteers and now has 5,300 volunteers. Donors who have assisted with the farm's expansion include JK Moving Services, Truist, Charlson Bredehoft Cohen & Brown, Joseph E Roberts Charitable Trust, Joyce Van Lines, Virginia Easement Exchange and more.

One of the farm's major fundraisers is its annual Plant-A-Thon, where volunteers plant nearly 30,000 seedlings that provide 100,000 meals. The last Plant-A-Thon happened in May 2023. The farm also has a hands-on education program for kids and families to learn about the ties between soil, plants, people and health and a field trip program for schools.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America since 2020 to help raise awareness in our local communities of hunger, a persistent national problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks and 60,000 local meals programs across the country, estimates that nearly 34 million people, including 9 million children — about 1 in 6 Americans — are living with food insecurity. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.