Seeing the nexus between education, health and economics, Dreaming Out Loud has developed an innovative approach that rebuilds urban, community-based food systems. We grow human capacity through workforce development and entrepreneurship training. We create physical infrastructure that supports urban food production and distribution. And we integrate opportunities in food production, processing, and distribution to connect community members to family-supporting livelihoods through cooperative social enterprise.

Our program model combines (1) intensive urban farming using sustainable practices, (2) food access via farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer sales, and (3) food hub infrastructure to aggregate, store, process and distribute local food. Each component provides an opportunity to build and utilize community knowledge about the food system to create and sustain a healthy food culture and successful food businesses. And by connecting with a strong network of food leaders and advocates in the DC metro area, we develop the resources, infrastructure and policies that help all our communities to thrive.

Back to Impact Hub DC

Back to DC food systems Impact Hub group