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Please support at RENEWRICHMOND.ORG RVA Farms, a commercial urban agricultural program of the nonprofit Renew Richmond, will create and operate an urban farm site and demonstration/training facility in a lot on Midlothian Turnpike in the South side of Richmond, Virginia where we will grow and sell fresh organic fruits and vegetables in food deserts. Our urban farm will feature hoop houses, an outdoor demonstration garden, farm stand, solar powered drip irrigation system, storage shed and learning pavilion. Through partnership with Richmond Economic Development and Department of Social Services, RVA Farms will provide employment training, workforce development, and community work experience for recipients of SNAP benefits and participants of the VIEW program. Community members employed by RVA Farms will in turn run independent commercial operations, which will transform RVA Farms into Richmond’s first urban farm B-Corporation. Through their extensive knowledge and successful application of evidence-based prevention models and successful commercial urban agricultural practices, Renew Richmond plans to teach vocational skills and basic farm operation techniques to all employees and volunteers working the commercial urban agricultural sites. Richmond has 12 USDA designated food deserts, and a poverty level of 25%. RVA Farms plans to construct fully functioning commercial urban agricultural site on a private property that has been used for community agricultural purposes since 1887, located at 2723 Midlothian Turnpike This site will act as a working food production and vocational training facility. Farm programs will market to their surrounding communities using farmer’s markets that accept SNAP and WIC, culinary arts classes and other culturally relevant programming. We also plan to market to local restaurants, grocery stores and feature a CSA for the city. RVAFARMS is a solution to the problem of food deserts in Richmond. We will sell a wide selection of organic greens and other popular produce types that will be grown sustainably and be available year round on our urban farm. RVAFARMS will provide classes in culinary arts and urban agriculture for city residents while specializing in the design, installation and maintenance of urban farms in RVA food deserts. Please support at RENEWRICHMOND.ORG