Connect to Food

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Roanoke Area Food Resource Map

Do you need help getting enough food for yourself and your family?

This map includes information on where you can:

  • Get free meals and groceries,

  • Apply for benefits,

  • Receive discounts on food,

  • Grow your own food, and

  • Find information on things like cooking, stretching your food dollars, and healthy eating on a budget.

If you have a question about a resource on the map, please reach out to the phone number provided for that agency. Click the square in the top right-hand corner to expand the map and view the map key.

What is local food?

Local food is food grown in our community, our region, and our state.

What grows locally at any given time of year is the most abundant, least expensive, and at its peak flavor and nutrition value.

Local produce is fresher and tastes better because it is usually sold within 24 hours of being picked. When grown locally, the crops are picked at their peak of ripeness versus being harvested early in order to be shipped and distributed to your local retail store.

Every dollar spent on local food generates twice as much income for the local economy. Money that is spent with local farmers and growers all stays close to home and is reinvested with businesses and services in your community.

Community Gardens | Grow Your Own Food

What are community gardens?

Community Gardens are shared spaces in which community members can grow food. Community gardens have many benefits from creating opportunities to learn about gardening, providing land and other resources for gardening, and creating spaces to connect with nature and each other.

How do i sign up?

There is a small fee to reserve a plot in the Roanoke Community Gardens. You can find more information about the gardens here: https://leapforlocalfood.org/gardens/. Please reach out to LEAP for more information or to reserve your plot at gardens@leapforlocalfood.org or 540-632-1360

Need more assistance?

2-1-1 is an easy to remember phone number connecting people with free information on available community services.

When you dial 2-1-1, a trained professional listens to your situation and suggests sources of help using one of the largest databases of health and human services in Virginia.

You can also access resources through the 2-1-1 website.