Community FarmShare
Community FarmShare is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2020 in Poolesville, Maryland, that sources produce from local farms and distributes it to food-insecure households across Montgomery County via nine Mobile Farm Markets, school and clinical partnerships, and a Gaithersburg hub.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersGaithersburg, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Community FarmShare does
Community FarmShare is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2020 and headquartered in Poolesville, Maryland, that addresses food insecurity across Montgomery County, MD by aggregating produce from local farms and redistributing it through a hub-and-mobile market model. The organization operates nine Mobile Farm Markets positioned in county-designated High Food Priority Areas, supported by a Gaithersburg aggregation hub equipped with cold storage and a fleet of refrigerated trucks. A data-driven demand model is used to route produce from farm suppliers to the hub and onward to distribution points. Named farm suppliers include The Farm at Our House; institutional partners include CHEER, Rainbow CDC, MUM, Wheaton High School, the Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience, the Montgomery County Food Council, Maryland Market Money, Universities at Shady Grove, and Montgomery College.
The organization's program portfolio covers four lines: Food is Medicine (clinical-referral produce via seven clinic partners serving 405 patients), Farm to School (17 schools reaching 566 families), Produce Supply for Food Assistance Programs, and Contract Purchasing. In 2025 Community FarmShare distributed 337,000 pounds of produce, enrolled 750 households, moved 142,000 pounds through Mobile Farm Markets, assembled 3,850 produce bags, wholesaled 31,000 pounds to seven partner organizations, and committed $1.214M in purchases to local farms. The technical stack is logistics- and cold-chain-centric; no proprietary software product or AI/ML platform is documented.
Revenue is generated through a non-profit mix including philanthropic contributions, grants, wholesale produce contracts with food assistance partners, contract purchasing arrangements, and program-level partnerships with county agencies and clinical institutions. The organization operates with approximately seven employees, indicating a lean staffing model reliant on partners and volunteers for distribution execution.
Community FarmShare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Community FarmShare
- Legal name
- Community FarmShare
- Website
- https://communityfarmshare.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Community FarmShare is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2020 in Poolesville, Maryland, that sources produce from local farms and distributes it to food-insecure households across Montgomery County via nine Mobile Farm Markets, school and clinical partnerships, and a Gaithersburg hub.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Community FarmShare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nutrition Security and Food Access Services
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (62421)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local / Farm-to-Wholesale Produce Aggregation & Distribution (AFAIACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE), Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC)
Keywords
Where Community FarmShare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gaithersburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Community FarmShare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Funding for Produce Costs: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, CFS secures philanthropic grants and donations to cover the cost of produce at Mobile Farm Markets, enabling program participants to shop using preloaded cards at no personal cost.
- Wholesale Produce Sales: CFS sells locally grown produce in bulk to food assistance providers, food pantries, and institutions through its wholesale program. In 2025, CFS sold 31,000 lbs of produce to 7 wholesale partners, providing right-sized volumes with individualized procurement, cold storage, and delivery services.
- Community-Subsidized Market Sales: The broader community (non-program participants) purchases produce at subsidized prices at Mobile Farm Markets. Markets accept SNAP, SUN Bucks, cash, and credit/debit cards. Maryland Market Money matches SNAP/SUN Bucks purchases up to $20.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Community FarmShare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Community FarmShare aggregates produce from local small and medium-sized farms at a centralized hub in Gaithersburg, MD, and distributes it through Mobile Farm Markets (9 locations), Produce Bag home/school deliveries, Food is Medicine produce prescriptions, Farm to School programs, and wholesale supply to food assistance providers. The organization uses contract purchasing and multi-season demand data to coordinate farm crop planning, then delivers culturally relevant, locally grown produce to households and institutions in Montgomery County's High Food Priority Areas.
Product overview
Community FarmShare operates a portfolio of interconnected food access programs centered around a hub-and-spoke model. The core offerings include Mobile Farm Markets (farmers markets on wheels) and Produce Bags (home delivery), which are supplied through Aggregation and Cold Storage Chain services. Contract Purchasing and Crop Planning enables demand-driven food production from local farms. These programs are complemented by Food is Medicine, Farm to School, and Wholesale programs that serve different community segments. All programs are coordinated through the organization's aggregation hub in Gaithersburg, MD, serving High Food Priority Areas across Montgomery County.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mobile Farm Markets Free-choice farmers markets on wheels that bring fresh, locally grown produce directly to communities in High Food Priority Areas across Montgomery County, served by a refrigerated truck from the Gaithersburg aggregation hub. Open to program participants using MC Market Cards and to the broader community at subsidized prices.
- Produce Bags Home and school delivery of produce bags containing 8-10 culturally relevant produce items weighing 10-12 lbs, packed by volunteers on Wednesdays and delivered to families on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Available to program participants who cannot attend Mobile Farm Markets due to scheduling, transportation, or mobility challenges.
- Food is Medicine Produce Prescription (PRx) program addressing diet-related chronic conditions and health disparities by connecting patients referred from 7 community health clinic partners with locally grown produce through Mobile Farm Markets and Produce Bags.
- Farm to School Program connecting MCPS schools with local farms to increase fresh produce access and exposure for low-income students and their families, including at School-Based Health and Wellness Centers.
- Produce Supply for Food Assistance Providers Wholesale program providing food assistance providers and food pantries with bulk local produce along with individualized procurement, cold storage, and delivery/pickup services for free-choice pantries and home/school delivery programs.
- Wholesale Bulk purchasing program enabling small and medium institutions such as food pantries to purchase local produce for free-choice pantries and home deliveries.
- Contract Purchasing and Crop Planning Pre-harvest purchasing agreement program with local farms where quantities and prices are predetermined, using market sales data to drive community demand-based crop planning and support local farm sustainability.
- Aggregation and Cold Storage Chain Aggregation service collecting produce from multiple small and medium-sized farms into a centralized Gaithersburg hub with cold storage infrastructure to preserve quality and safety before distribution to Mobile Farm Markets, wholesale partners, and produce bag deliveries.
- Regional Food Hub Integration Coordination service connecting food hubs of various sizes across the region to address ever-changing supply and demand needs within the regional food system.
Quantifiable outcome
- 337,000 lbs of local produce bought and distributed in 2025
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Community FarmShare
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Community FarmShare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Community FarmShare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CHEER (Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research)coreCHEER is a key partner providing market cards pre-loaded with funds for families to shop at the New Hampshire Estates Elementary Mobile Farm Market. Over 200 families enrolled through this partnership. CHEER represents the community health partner channel through which patients and families are connected to CFS produce access programs.
- Rainbow Community Development CentercoreRainbow Community Development Center receives 300 produce bags per month through CFS's FAP partnership program. CFS sources, packs, and delivers the produce bags as part of the Montgomery County FAP-school partnership initiative facilitated by the Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience and Montgomery County Food Council.
- MUM (Maryland Universal Market) and Wheaton High SchoolcoreCFS supports MUM and Wheaton High School by packing and delivering 25 produce bags per week through the FAP-school partnership program. This partnership connects food-insecure families with locally grown produce via institutional channels.
- Montgomery County Office of Food Systems ResiliencecoreThrough grantmaking processes, the Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience connects FAPs with school partners and facilitates CFS's role in the FAP-school partnership ecosystem, helping shape the local food assistance landscape in Montgomery County.
- Montgomery County Food CouncilcoreA key convening organization driving coordination across Montgomery County's food access community. The Food Council helps connect FAPs with school partners and facilitates information sharing, best practices, and problem-solving across the regional food system.
- The Farm at Our House (Brookeville, MD)coreContract purchasing partner receiving reliable sales channels through CFS. The co-owner, Marc Grossman, reported that CFS's steady outlet enabled the farm to invest over $100,000 in new equipment over two years, allowing the farm to expand into direct restaurant sales in addition to farmers markets, CSA, and CFS sales.
- Universities of Shady Grove and Montgomery CollegeminorCFS partners with Universities of Shady Grove and Montgomery College to host Market Operator interns who staff Mobile Farm Markets. This provides workforce development opportunities while supporting CFS's market operations.
- Maryland Market MoneycoreMaryland Market Money provides a dollar-for-dollar match (up to $20) for purchases made using SNAP and SUN Bucks at CFS Mobile Farm Markets, effectively doubling the purchasing power of benefit-receiving customers and reducing financial barriers to fresh produce access.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Community FarmShare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DC Central Kitchen: Larger Mid-Atlantic nonprofit that aggregates local produce, runs food access and job-training programs, and operates school-based food initiatives. Comparable producer aggregation and nutrition-security mission but at significantly larger scale across a broader service area.
- Maryland Food Bank: Statewide hunger-relief distributor operating in Maryland including Montgomery County, with comparable food distribution and FAP support mission — a broader incumbent operating at vastly larger scale than CFS's wholesale program.
- Capital Area Food Bank: Regional food bank serving the DC metro including Montgomery County, distributing food to pantries and FAPs — analogous wholesale/distribution role and food access mission, though operating at much larger scale as a hunger-relief distributor.
Direct peers
- FRESHFARM: DC-area nonprofit running farmers markets and food access programs including SNAP incentive matching (similar to Maryland Market Money) and producer aggregation — directly comparable mobile/physical market and aggregation model in an adjacent Maryland/DC geography.
- Wholesome Wave: National nonprofit known for pioneering produce prescription (PRx) programs and SNAP doubling — directly comparable Food is Medicine and nutrition incentive model that CFS's Food is Medicine program mirrors, though Wholesome Wave operates nationally rather than locally.
- Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture: Virginia-based nonprofit operating mobile farm markets, Farm to School programs, and Food is Medicine produce prescriptions in the DC metro region. Highly comparable multi-channel nonprofit food access model in the same geography as Community FarmShare.
- Local Food Hub (Charlottesville, VA): Virginia-based food hub aggregating produce from small farms for distribution to schools, hospitals, and food banks — comparable aggregation, contract purchasing, and wholesale-distribution model with similar farm-support mission.
Emerging players
- FoodCorps: National nonprofit connecting schools with local farms and food educators — directly comparable Farm to School and nutrition education mission that overlaps with CFS's 17-school Farm to School program.
- DC Greens: DC-based nonprofit running produce prescription and Farm to School programs in the same regional food access ecosystem — overlapping Food is Medicine and Farm to School offerings with CFS's Montgomery County programs but in the adjacent DC jurisdiction.
Regional players
- St. Mary's Health Wagon: Rural/Appalachia-based mobile health and food access nonprofit operating mobile health clinics and produce distribution. Comparable mobile-distribution model and healthcare-clinic referral channel, though serving a different geographic region.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Community FarmShare social profiles
Digital presenceCommunity FarmShare compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Community FarmShare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Community FarmShare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Community FarmShare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Community FarmShare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Community FarmShare
What does Community FarmShare do?
Community FarmShare aggregates produce from local small and medium-sized farms at a centralized hub in Gaithersburg, MD, and distributes it through Mobile Farm Markets (9 locations), Produce Bag home/school deliveries, Food is Medicine produce prescriptions, Farm to School programs, and wholesale supply to food assistance providers. The organization uses contract purchasing and multi-season demand data to coordinate farm crop planning, then delivers culturally relevant, locally grown produce to households and institutions in Montgomery County's High Food Priority Areas.
Is Community FarmShare a public or private company?
Community FarmShare is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Community FarmShare founded?
Community FarmShare was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Community FarmShare based?
Community FarmShare is headquartered in Gaithersburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does Community FarmShare make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic Funding for Produce Costs are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Produce Sales and community-Subsidized Market Sales.
Who are Community FarmShare's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DC Central Kitchen, Maryland Food Bank and Capital Area Food Bank. Direct peers are FRESHFARM, Wholesome Wave, Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture and Local Food Hub (Charlottesville, VA). Emerging players are FoodCorps and DC Greens. St. Mary's Health Wagon is listed as a regional player.
Does Community FarmShare have an API?
No public API is recorded for Community FarmShare.
What industry is Community FarmShare in?
Community FarmShare's product category is Nutrition Security and Food Access Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIACAG, Local / Farm-to-Wholesale Produce Aggregation & Distribution, with a secondary code of CRAHAHAE, Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food). Its NAICS code is 62421 and its SIC code is 5150.