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At the end of 2021, LEAP was awarded $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to enhance local food systems and support urban agriculture. LEAP invested in the West End neighborhood, a community where we first put down roots more than a decade ago.
Inside The LEAP Hub, we constructed offices and a food distribution center, where produce and proteins are delivered from area farms and regional food hubs, then packed onto our Mobile Market, into our Farm Shares, and delivered to our Community Produce Program partners.
In June 2024, we opened a retail store to give our community greater access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Find more information in the Community Store section, under Find Food.
At the front corner of The LEAP Hub, behind large plate glass windows, a stunning work of art covers one wall. This is The Gathering Place, a room designed to be used by the community.
If you’re in search of a place to meet, teach a class, or host a community conversation, let us know. We have guidelines in place for use of the room. We prioritize groups who work in the West End and groups working on subjects including food access, food systems, nutrition, and local agriculture. To request use of the room, fill out this form .
Questions? Email leap@leapforlocalfood.org
Before 2020, there was a beautiful, organic coming together of the West End community, over meals on Wednesday nights in the pavilion behind the Freedom First Credit Union branch at 1210 Patterson Ave. The food was donated by the Roanoke Co+op; the space was provided by LEAP. Volunteers helped cook and serve the food.
These community dinners returned in 2023 and continue in 2024, with a familiar framework: On the third Wednesday of the month, participants are invited to gather at the pavilion outside the LEAP Kitchen for a free meal, open to everyone, beginning at 5 pm. The dinners happen monthly through October. Huge thanks to all who make these gatherings a great success!