As a result of 17% of residents in Roanoke being food-insecure and 24% living in food deserts, the Local Environmental Action Project (LEAP) was formed with a mission to “nurture healthy communities and resilient local food systems.”
- Initiatives of this nonprofit have included:
- A year-round, community market in Roanoke’s impoverished West End area.
- The LEAP Mobile Market, where a box truck filled with local, healthy food makes weekly stops in low-income, low-access neighborhoods.
- A shared commercial kitchen and food business incubator, which also serves as a venue for dozens of public classes on cooking and food preservation.
- A resident-driven urban farm in southeast Roanoke.
The Fresh Foods Rx program provides weekly health education and coaching sessions with health professionals as well as regular prescriptions to receive fresh, local food for no cost.
With financial support from Carilion Clinic, LEAP initiated several programs focused on making healthy local food more affordable.
- SNAP Double Value – People who participate in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) can double their SNAP benefits at LEAP markets.
- Medicaid Match – With LEAP’s Medicaid Match, all Medicaid members can get double the value on purchases at LEAP Farmers Markets.
- Healthy Food Vouchers – As part of the Healthy Start Collaborative parents can receive $10 vouchers each week to buy fresh produce. Parents of children enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program can likewise receive $10 each week for the purchase of fresh, local food. Additionally, seniors located within a Medically Underserved Area are eligible to receive food vouchers.
