LEAP in the News
January 2021
Roanoke Star – Roanoke Partnership Launches New Farm to School Program Featuring Locally Grown Produce
October 2020
WSLS – Food Justice: What is it and how can we fix it
WSLS – More locally-grown food heading to schools in the Star City
Roanoke Star – LEAP and VA Cooperative Extension Receive Farm to School Grant to Get Fresh Food to Roanoke City Students
Inside NOVA – Pure Farmland (TM) Awards $100,000 to Local Gardens and Farms
July 2020
WFIR – Helping to provide food to families affected by the pandemic
June 2020
WVTF / Radio IQ – Roanoke-based LEAP shifts online to provide local food
May 2020
Valley Business Front – Shifting Landscapes for Our Local Farmers
Roanoke Times – Feeling freer at the farmers market
April 2020
WFXR – Farmers Markets switch to online orders and drive-thru pickup
Roanoke Star – Grandin Village Farmers Market to Open Saturday
Roanoke Times– Editorial: A Call to (F)arms
Roanoker Magazine – Connecting Hungry Eaters to Local Food
Roanoke Times – Farmers market shift: Scrambling to not lose a spring season
March 2020
Roanoke Times – Fresh Match teams local food, those in need
Roanoke Times – Giving: LEAP takes on management of Roanoke community gardens
February 2020
WFXR – Roanoke group celebrates Leap Day with soup, community
WSLS10 – LEAPing into action: How you can help save Roanoke’s Community Gardens
WDBJ7 – Gown here at home: Buy local seasonal food through LEAP Farm Share program
WDBJ7 – Grown here at home: Virginia Fresh Match making produce more accessible and affordable
January 2020
WDBJ7 – LEAP looks to continue growth in community gardens
August 2019
WFXR – LEAP Mobile Market brings fresh produce to food deserts, supports local farmers
April 2019
Augusta Free Press – Project GROWS increases food access for SNAP participants at farmers markets
WFXR – Celebrate spring at the Grandin Village Farmers Market
The Roanoke Star.com – Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia Announces Grants to Support Programs for the Elderly
The Roanoke Times – Nonprofits receive grants for eldercare
January 2019
WFXR – Get some fresh produce during this cold winter season
October 2018
The Roanoker Magazine – Farming’s New Faces
WDBJ7 – New food hub in the works
August 2018
Salem Times Register– LEAP/Virginia Fresh Match receives $1.8 million grant through USDA’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Grant Program
WDBJ7 – LEAP lands major grant
NRVNews – Grant will extend SNAP benefits for produce
WFIR – Statewide federal grant coming through LEAP
August 2017
Virginia First, Ag Life: Celebrating National Farmers Market Week
July 2017
101.5/102.5 The Mountain FM – Community Spotlight
May 2017
The Roanoke Tribune, LEAP celebrates launch of new Mobile Market, May 19
WDBJ7, Farmers market hits the road in Roanoke, May 15
The Roanoke Times, Med Beat: New farmers market on wheels debuts Monday in Roanoke, May 15
The Roanoke Times, Roanoke City Market to double match for shoppers with SNAP cards, May 10
February 2017
WSLS 10, Local farmers work to keep agriculture alive in Southwest Virginia, February 28
Virginia First, Local farmers discuss challenges, February 21
Roanoke Times, LEAP to host Farmer Listening Sessions beginning Feb. 21, Febuary 20
NRV News, Farmer Listening Sessions, February 17
WSLS10, LEAP receives grant for program giving healthy food to Medicaid recipients, February 13
November 2016
Virginia First WFXR, LEAP for Local Food launches Food Business StartUp program, November 24
Roanoke Times, LEAP offers education, resources for food-industry startups, November 16
Roanoke Tribune, Food business incubator program created, November 11
Septemeber 2016
Roanoker Magazine, LEAP Kitchen Offers Opportunity, September 16
Politico Magazine, How Western Virginia Tackled the Rural Health Problem, September 15
July 2016
Roanoke Business, What’s cooking at The Kitchen in Roanoke? July 2016
Virginia Business, What’s cooking at The Kitchen in Roanoke? July 2016
Roanoke Outside, What is The LEAP Kitchen? July 19
Virginia First, Ag Life program, Fresh Food Rx Connects Diabetics with Local Produce, July 6
June 2016
Roanoke Times, Mobile Market expansion brings fresh produce to Roanoke neighborhoods, June 15
Roanoke Times, LEAP Mobile Market expands, June 1
May 2016
VT Office of Economic Development, The Kitchen opens in Roanoke’s West End neighborhood, May 5
April 2016
Roanoke Tribune, West End Community Market and LEAP launch The Kitchen, April 29
WVTF/Radio IQ, Shared Kitchen in Roanoke Aims to boost Food Businesses, April 28
Roanoke Times, The Kitchen opens in Roanoke for local food-related start-ups, April 27
WDBJ, A community kitchen opens in Roanoke, April 27
WSLS, LEAP opens community kitchen in Roanoke, April 26
November 2015
WFXR News, Ag Life Program, did a story about LEAP’s upcoming Community Kitchen on November 17
Roanoke Times, “LEAP Lands $40,000 in grants for community kitchen in Roanoke”, November 16
October 2015
Great Video about the Healthy Start Collaboration and LEAP’s work with TAP and other community partners.
August 2015
Cox Connections with LEAP for Local Food
June 2015
WSLS10, “LEAP Mobile Market brings fresh, healthy food to the community,” June 11
February 2015 The Roanoke Times, “LEAP works to connect the dots between food producers, consumers,” February 20
The Roanoke Times, Fridge Magnet, “A February filled with food,”February 6
Cox9 Round Roanoke, Big Lick Cocktail Classic for LEAP, February 3 January 2015 WDBJ7, “Healthy initiatives taking off in a Roanoke neighborhood,” January 20 December 2014 WFIR Morning News, “$100k grant to help start-ups prepare locally-grown foods for year-round sale,” December 4
WDBJ 7, “LEAP for Local Food receives $100,000 grant,” December 4
WSLS 10, “Community Kitchen aims to launch more food businesses,” December 2
WDBJ 7, “West End Community Market offers healthy foods to Roanoke neighborhood,” December 2
November 2014 WSLS 10, Freedom First Fridays on Daytime Blue Ridge with Maureen Best, LEAP Executive Director, November 21
101.5 TVMP Roanoke Valley Conversations featuring Brittany DeKnight, LEAP AmeriCorps VISTA, November 9
