By Shea Wright 

With an abundance of fresh produce and holiday cheer, families in Mecklenburg County had a reason to celebrate early this past weekend. Volunteers from VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) collaborated with staff from a local aeroponic farm created to combat food insecurity for their second farmers market of the year. 

The event welcomed over 250 families, who could pick up free grab-and-go bags of fruits, vegetables, fresh salads, produce from CMH’s community garden, and non-perishable items.  

It’s not uncommon for food pantries, churches and community organizations to stock up on dry goods. Fresh produce is often a luxury item for households relying on food assistance. The holiday season can also cause financial strain because of bills, travel and gifts – forcing families to make tough choices about what to eat. 

“Food is often a key stressor for families, and the holiday season is often one of the hardest times for families in need,” said Andrew Richardson, a co-owner of Full Circle Bloom and CMH community garden volunteer. “By offering free healthy and fresh options that they don’t always get at local grocery stores or food pantries, it’s a great way to make sure we are doing our part to help local families.” 

The holiday farmers market aimed to eliminate the stress of “what’s for dinner” for this holiday season.  

This was the second farmers market hosted at the hospital this year. Over the summer, CMH provided 2,165 pounds of fresh produce from the hospital’s new community garden to more than a hundred residents, community partners and local food pantries.  

“Access to fresh, healthy food is a cornerstone of our community health mission at CMH. Partnerships like this help us go beyond hospital walls to support families where it matters most,” said Sheldon Barr, president of VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital.  

A community needs assessment conducted by CMH identified food insecurity as an area of significant challenge for residents in Mecklenburg County. The community garden is part of the hospital’s ongoing plan to address social drivers of health in the region.  

A community effort to stamp out food insecurity over the holidays 

When VCU Health’s Department of Community Health began planning the CMH community garden earlier this year, team members toured local farms in Southside Virginia to learn best practices.  

That’s when they met Andrew and Ashley Richardson, who own Full Circle Bloom, and discovered their innovative approach to growing fresh produce. The 32-acre farm uses vertical aeroponics – a soilless method where roots hang in the air and are nourished by an enclosed ecosystem – to grow tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, squash, greens and herbs.  

“We toured local farmers in the area and realized Andrew and his wife had the same mission to help local families in the area get access to fresh produce,” said Ross Abrash, program manager with VCU Health’s Department of Community Health. “Knowing our raised beds would be limited in the amount of fresh produce we could supply, we joined our resources together to bring quality and quantity to families who need it most, and we are pleased this collaboration continues to bring out members of our community.” 

After meeting with hospital leadership, Andrew Richardson joined as a volunteer gardener to support CMH’s efforts to address food insecurity. The Richardson’s, who are both Navy veterans, share a deep commitment to providing access to fresh food to families in Southside Virginia. 

“It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the impact of our partnership with CMH, from supporting the community garden to providing fresh, healthy options for hundreds of local families in these markets. We are committed to continuing this vital collaboration and growing our efforts with CMH in the future,” Richardson said.

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