DUFFIELD — Appalachian Sustainable Development has found a way to restart its Appalachian Harvest Food Hub distribution program — for now.
Some federal funds from a USDA Agricultural Marketing Services grant are moving after a monthlong pause by the Trump administration, ASD Development Director Sylvia Crum said Thursday. That means the Duffield Food Hub site will be distributing boxes of fresh produce and other foods starting at 10 a.m. Friday.
“Funds are starting to trickle in from the existing grant,” Crum said, “but the grant that we were supposed to get starting after mid-July has been terminated.”
The remaining USDA funds reimburse ASD for its purchase of produce, meats and dairy products to fill the boxes. Without the federal grant, Appalachian Harvest has funding to operate until November.
“Our priority still will be feeding people healthy food, but we don’t know how much or what kinds of foods we’ll be able to pack in those boxes,” Crum said.
ASD had a grant from the Richard and Leslie Gilliam Foundation awarded in December, Crum said, and that was supposed to help with funding the Food Hub along with the now-defunct USDA grant. The foundation money will be combined with two emergency grants in recent weeks from the Wise County-based Rapha Foundation and First Bank and Trust to restart hub operations.
The Gilliam Foundation grant allowed ASD flexibility in how it could be applied to the food hub program, Crum said, and it reflects the foundation’s origins in Lee and Wise counties.
“They have a heart for farmers, for sure,” Crum added.
Two private donors also have contributed funds since the USDA grants were frozen and terminated, Crum added.
The hub employs 12 staff at the Duffield site to help pack boxes for on-site distribution and for various community groups and agencies to distribute in Southwest Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Those workers will be supplemented with volunteer packers in coming months.
“We’re leaning into using more volunteers,” said Crum. “Some of our distribution partners have been so gracious by helping with packing boxes, and we have such a wonderful network.”
Finding a funding stream to continue beyond November is the next step for ASD, Crum said.
“There’s still a lot of stuff in limbo,” Crum added.
Friday’s distribution is at 80 Boone Trail Road Duffield starting at 10 a.m. and lasting until all boxes are gone.