As 2021 draws to a close, LEAP wants to say a huge thank you to everyone who has shopped at a market, purchased a farm share, made a donation, or supported LEAP in any way.  As a nonprofit, we depend on the generosity of our community in order to thrive.

It will be awhile before final numbers are tallied, but here’s a peek at the good work LEAP has done in 2021:

• LEAP expanded from seven employees at the start of the year to 11, currently.
• Virginia Fresh Match, a program led by LEAP which increases the buying power of SNAP recipients at participating outlets like farmers markets, mobile markets, and neighborhood stores across Virginia, saw a nearly 100 percent increase in the number of transactions in the 2021 market season over the same time the previous year. In 2020, transactions grew by 176 percent over 2019!
• LEAP raised nearly $8,000 from individual donations, to feed those who cannot access fresh fruits and vegetables, through campaigns like Nourish Your Neighbor and Community Produce Packs. Cue the round of applause for LEAP’s supporters. We asked and whoa, did you deliver.

Again, thank you!