Working Food

What Working Food does

Working Food is a privately held nonprofit organization founded in Gainesville, Florida, dedicated to building a just and resilient local food system in North Central Florida. The organization operates three integrated program areas: Giving Gardens (urban farming, seed stewardship, and food donations), Youth Growing Together (hands-on gardening, cooking classes, summer camps, and paid teen internships across five community center sites), and Local Food Connection (CSA subscriptions, an online farmers market, and farm-to-table dinners). It stewards regionally adapted open-pollinated seeds for Florida's subtropical climate through a community seed bank at the GROW HUB and an online seed shop shipping nationwide via Square.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit mix of earned revenue and charitable contributions. Recurring income comes from CSA memberships priced at $35 per week for a 32-week season, online seed sales at per-packet pricing, fee-based workshops and summer camps ($55 to $325 per participant), and commission-based sales through the Online Farmers Market, which connects roughly ten local farms and artisans with consumers within 100 miles of Gainesville. The commissary kitchen program that historically supported 48 to over 100 local food entrepreneurs is being wound down ahead of a 2027 lease expiry, with a capital campaign ("We Dream Together") underway to fund a permanent owned farm campus. Operations are supported by approximately 8 paid staff and 60 weekly volunteers, with partnerships spanning the City of Gainesville, Alachua County Public Libraries, the University of Florida, Santa Fe College, and a network of regional farms.

In October 2025 Working Food merged with Gainesville Giving Garden, expanding its urban farm from roughly one-third acre to one-half acre and consolidating youth education programs. The organization distributes seeds nationally through its online shop and locally through five named retail outlets and library seed libraries, and it markets via Instagram, Facebook, an email newsletter, and community events. The 2023-2025 Southern SARE grant funded publication of seed-saving educational materials, and a published strategic plan and quarterly impact reporting (5,357 seed packets and 5,000 pounds of food donated in the last growing season) provide operational transparency.

Name

Working Food

Legal name

Working Food

Website

https://workingfood.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Working Food is a Gainesville, Florida nonprofit that runs an urban farm, a regionally adapted seed stewardship program, youth gardening education, a CSA, and an online farmers market to build a resilient local food system in North Central Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Food Systems / Community Agriculture

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210), Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover (111419)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGALAD

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

SECONDARYCRAHAHAG

Fresh Food Subscription/CSA & Produce Box Retail

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Fresh Food Specialists (Produce, Meat, Seafood)

SECONDARYBPAGAGAI

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYEDAOAKAK

Food Entrepreneurship (Food Trucks/Small Business)

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Culinary Arts, Baking & Food Service Training

Keywords

• Community supported agriculture
• Local food systems
• Seed stewardship
• Youth gardening education
• Food access programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. CSA Membership: Community Supported Agriculture program where members pay $35/week for 32 weeks (October–June), providing upfront capital for the farm and in return receiving weekly shares of freshly harvested produce. This is the primary recurring revenue stream that funds farm operations and food donation programs.
2. Seed Sales: Sale of regionally adapted, open-pollinated seeds through an online shop. Seeds are shipped throughout the U.S. and available for local pickup. Seeds are grown in giving gardens, on small-scale farms, and in home gardens in Gainesville, Florida.
3. Youth Camp & Workshop Fees: Revenue from summer camps (Wild Wonder Creators Camp at $325/week), workshops (Plant Pigment Workshop at $55), and farm-to-table dinners ($150). These provide both income and donation leverage, with ticket proceeds directly supporting community programs.
4. Online Farmers Market: The Working Food Online Market connects local farmers and artisans with consumers within 100 miles of Gainesville. Operating approximately September–June, the market generates commission-based revenue while supporting small-scale growers.
5. Donations & Fundraising: The organization relies on donations from the public to fund its mission. A dedicated donation page and 'We Dream Together' campaign support the permanent farm campus fundraising effort.
6. Kitchen Rental (Historical): A commissary kitchen was operated from 2018 until a sewage incident in 2025, supporting over 100 food entrepreneurs. Kitchen rental generated revenue but the program is transitioning as the lease ends in 2027.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Working Food operates an integrated community food system that produces and sells regionally adapted, open-pollinated seeds; runs a 32-week Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce subscription; hosts an online farmers market connecting local farmers and artisans with consumers within 100 miles of Gainesville; and delivers hands-on gardening, cooking, and seed-saving education to youth and adults across Alachua County, while donating the majority of its farm output to neighbors experiencing food insecurity.

Product overview

Working Food is a community-rooted nonprofit offering a portfolio of interconnected food system programs: an online marketplace (market.workingfood.org) connecting local farmers and artisans with consumers, a seed stewardship program selling regionally adapted seeds, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription delivering weekly seasonal produce, Youth Growing Together programming with hands-on gardening classes and summer camps, demonstration garden workshops, and the Giving Garden Farm that produces food for community donation. The organization operates primarily in North Central Florida, with the Online Market powered by Local Food Marketplace Inc. and seed sales through Square. The CSA runs October through June with weekly pickups at the farm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Working Food Seeds Regionally adapted, climate-resilient, open-pollinated seeds for Florida growers, stewarded through collaboration with farmers, gardeners, researchers, and neighbors. Many are heirlooms, and most are grown in local giving gardens, on small-scale farms, and in home gardens in Gainesville, Florida. Sold via online shop with U.S. shipping and local pickup, and stocked at retail seed shops and library seed libraries.
• Working Food Online Market An online farmers market (powered by Local Food Marketplace Inc.) connecting Gainesville and Alachua County residents with farmers and artisans producing within 100 miles of Gainesville. Customers place orders during a weekly Friday–Sunday cycle and pick up items on Thursday at the community center.
• CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) A seasonal vegetable subscription program where members invest upfront in the farm and receive weekly shares of freshly harvested produce. The program runs October through June with pickups at the Giving Garden Farm during the Grove Street Farmers Market; the majority of farm output is donated to expand community food access.
• Giving Garden Farm Working Food's urban farm in Gainesville (approximately one-third acre, expanding to one-half acre after merger) that grows fresh produce for community donation and supports CSA distribution, youth education, and seed gardens.
• Youth Growing Together A youth education program offering hands-on gardening and cooking classes at five community center sites serving pre-K through high school students in Gainesville. Includes weekly gardening and nutrition-centered cooking classes and serves as the parent program for summer camps and teen internships.
• Wild Wonder Creators Camp A summer break adventure camp for children ages 8-12 focused on making, crafting, and creating with the natural world. Campers learn folk skills like natural weaving, plant-based dye making, herbal remedies, and printmaking using materials harvested on the farm. Two week-long sessions offered annually.
• Botanical Hues & Garden Brews Workshop A hands-on workshop teaching participants how to make natural pigments from plants growing in the local environment, including creating natural paints and art while enjoying seasonal herbal mocktails, with a brief farm tour at Bella Terra Hills Farm in Alachua, Florida.
• Garden Demo Days Hands-on demonstration sessions held at seed gardens at Grow Hub in Gainesville, Florida. Topics include seed saving, tomato plant care, seedling maintenance, and spring vegetable garden planning. Tickets offered on a sliding scale.
• Seed to Seed Course A Florida-based gardening course designed to support gardening in Florida's subtropical climate and sandy soils. Features concise video lessons, interactive quizzes, and downloadable resources including zines, worksheets, and charts, with 8 distinct topics in bite-sized lessons.
• Farm-to-Table Dinner Seasonal farm-to-table dinner experience featuring a farm tour at Gainesville Giving Garden and a multi-course meal at Superette, with optional wine pairing. Proceeds support Working Food's community programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,357 seed packets distributed and 5,000 pounds of food donated in the last growing season
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Southern SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Southern SARE funded a 2023-2025 grant project 'Local Food Needs Local Seed: Increasing Production and Use of Locally Adapted Seed with a Farm to Community Network,' supporting Working Food's seed-saving publication development and farm network collaboration.
• Siembra FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSiembra Farm is a key local farm partner collaborating with Working Food on seed selection and genetics. The farm has adopted Piracicaba Broccolini and Mainstream Cantaloupe as staple crops, helping continue seed-saving efforts for locally adapted varieties. Working Food provides seeds, technical guidance, and market connections to Siembra Farm.
• Nicoya FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNicoya Farm is a local partner that has adopted Piracicaba Broccolini as a staple crop, growing multiple successions for local farmers markets. The farm collaborates with Working Food on produce redirection to the community and participated in seed-saving research.
• GROW HUBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGROW HUB (2900 NE 8th Ave., Gainesville) hosts Working Food's three seed gardens, greenhouse, seed cleaning room, and community seed bank. GROW HUB staff support Working Food's operations by checking on seedlings and assisting with infrastructure. The partnership provides Working Food with land access and operational infrastructure.
• Alachua County Public LibrariesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking Food donates seeds to Alachua County Public Libraries' seed libraries, enabling free community access to seeds and supporting the organization's mission of expanding local food growing capacity.
• City of GainesvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Gainesville is referenced as a community partner for youth programs. Working Food's Youth Growing Together programs are held at five community center sites, some operated in partnership with the City of Gainesville.
• Bella Terra Hills FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily-owned farm on 360 acres in Alachua, Florida. Hosts the Botanical Hues & Garden Brews workshop as a partner venue, providing outdoor event space for Working Food's educational programming.
• Hammock Hollow FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHammock Hollow Farm in Island Grove, FL shared the Conie Pink cherry tomato variety with Working Food and continues to grow and sell this locally adapted variety. Contributed to seed stewardship efforts as part of a Southern SARE funded project.
• Mo's GarageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMo's Garage sponsored the Wild Wonder Creators Camp and provides use of their indoor and outdoor event space for camp programming. Located at 910 NW 4th St, Gainesville, FL 32601.
• University of Florida / Santa Fe CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Florida and Santa Fe College students serve as regular volunteers in youth programs and farm operations. Many participate through capstone projects or course credit. UF faculty (Dr. Danielle Treadwell, Dr. Dina Liebowitz, Dr. Hector Perez) collaborated on seed research publications.
• Afternoon RoastingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal vendor participating in the Working Food Online Market pilot season. Roasted coffee producer based in Gainesville, FL.
• Cedar Acres KuneKune FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal vendor in the Working Food Online Market. Farm located in Hawthorne, FL.
• Frog Song OrganicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organic farm participating in the Working Food Online Market. Also partners on farm-to-table dinner events. Hosts Valentine's Day Farm-to-Table Dinner.
• Fruitful Earth FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal farm vendor in the Working Food Online Market. Farm located in Lake City, FL.
• Jayda's JamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal artisan food vendor (jams) participating in the Working Food Online Market. Based in Williston, FL.
• Oystercatcher ShellfishminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal seafood vendor participating in the Working Food Online Market. Located in Horseshoe Beach, FL.
• The Tempeh ShopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal tempeh producer participating in the Working Food Online Market.
• A Thousand Leaves Herb ShopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGainesville-based retail shop that carries a selection of Working Food seeds. Partnered with Working Food for the Herbal Remedies Workshop (fire cider).
• Ward’s SupermarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGainesville-based supermarket carrying a selection of Working Food seeds.
• Auk MarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGainesville-based market carrying a selection of Working Food seeds.
• Mosswood Farm StoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFarm store in Micanopy, FL carrying a selection of Working Food seeds.
• PlantstayminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGainesville-based plant retailer carrying a selection of Working Food seeds.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• FRESHFARM: A nonprofit operating farmers markets, food access, and CSA-style programs across the DC region. Highly comparable to Working Food's combination of market operations, farm partnerships, and food access programming.
• Organic Seed Alliance: A nonprofit advancing the ethical development and stewardship of seed, with regional adaptation programs and grower education. Closely mirrors Working Food's regionally adapted seed work and partnership with university researchers.
• Big Green: A nonprofit building learning gardens in schools and communities to connect kids to food. Highly comparable to Working Food's youth gardening and cooking education programming across multiple community sites.
• Wholesome Wave: A nonprofit focused on affordable fresh produce access through nutrition incentive programs and food system partnerships. Comparable to Working Food's food donation, CSA, and food access programs targeting food-insecure residents.
• FoodCorps: A nonprofit connecting kids to healthy food in schools through hands-on gardening and cooking education. Directly comparable to Working Food's Youth Growing Together program operating at multiple community center sites.
• Seed Savers Exchange: A nonprofit stewarding heirloom and open-pollinated seeds with a seed bank, exchange, and education programs. Directly comparable to Working Food's regional seed stewardship, seed bank, and Florida-adapted seed catalog.
• Local Food Hub: A Virginia-based nonprofit distributing local food and supporting small farmers with aggregation and market access. Comparable to Working Food's online farmers market and Local Food Connection program connecting growers to consumers.
• Glean Kentucky: A nonprofit addressing food insecurity by redistributing produce from farms and gardens to communities in need. Comparable to Working Food's food donation programs and produce redistribution through the Giving Garden.

Regional players

• Georgia Organics: A state-level nonprofit advancing organic and sustainable agriculture and food access in Georgia. Comparable regional food system nonprofit model, though focused on a different Southeast geography than Working Food.

Broad incumbents

• GrowNYC: A large nonprofit operating farmers markets, school gardens, and greenmarket programs across New York City. Comparable scope to Working Food's multi-program local food system approach, but at significantly larger scale and urban scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/workingfoodcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/workingfoodgnv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/working-food

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Working Food