Naturally Curious: Bridging the Food Gap with Maureen Best

On this episode of Naturally Curious, host Bruce C. Bryan talks with Maureen Best, the executive director of LEAP, about how the organization connects people with local food sources in Virginia. Maureen shares her background in agriculture and talks about her transition to becoming LEAP's first paid staff member back in 2013. The conversation covers the daily operations of the local food system, including fixed-site farmers markets, a mobile market that visits senior housing complexes, and an in-house kitchen that turns leftover produce into frozen soups. They also discuss the realities of funding a nonprofit, the value of community partnerships, and how programs like Virginia Fresh Match help local families stretch their grocery budgets. More information about LEAP can be found at https://www.leapforlocalfood.org/staff-and-board-members