It's common wisdom that eating more fruits and vegetables is good for your health, but sometimes it's hard to turn wisdom into action. For many residents of Maryland’s Takoma/Langley Crossroads – a diverse, largely immigrant community – fresh, local, healthy, affordable food has simply been out of reach. Until, that is, Crossroads Community Food Network opened its seasonal farmer’s market in 2007. The market was the first in Maryland to accept federal nutrition benefits and the first in the country to match those benefits with coupons of equal value for use at the market. Since then, the group’s innovative model has been replicated in 500 locations around the country. In addition to running its farmer’s market and offering the Fresh Checks double dollar program, Crossroads’ Healthy Eating Program educates students and parents at three elementary schools about what healthy eating really means, and its Microenterprise Training Program helps entrepreneurs explore opportunities for food-related businesses in the community. Your contribution today puts fresh food on someone's table tomorrow.

Headquarters: MD-Montgomery County

Where They Operate: MD-Montgomery County; MD-Prince George's County; Takoma/Langley Crossroads

Age Groups Served: All

Ethnic Groups Served: African American; Asian American; Caucasian; Latino/Hispanic

Population(s) Served: Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members

Schools They Work In: Rolling Terrace Elementary School; Piney Branch Elementary School


  • Amount of Fresh Checks (vouchers that match the value of federal nutrition benefits spent at market on fresh fruits and vegetables) distributed since 2007 :   $340,000
  • Number of low-income families served by our Fresh Checks Program at the Crossroads Farmers Market since 2007:   9,000

Awards & Recognition

Crossroads Board Member Steve Mandel was honored with the Individual Making a Difference Award by the Nonprofit Village in 2015
Programs Manager Michelle Dudley received an Azalea Award from the Takoma Foundation in 2014
Board President Lorig Charkoudian was named one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women in 2014 and received the Montgomery Serves Award for volunteer work in 2013
CCFN received Slow Food DC’s Snail of Approval Award in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014

Press

Budget (FY2013)

  • $3 million or higher
  • $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • The current budget for Crossroads Community Food Network is: Less than $500k

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