We connect people to better food.
In January 2015, two mission-driven nonprofits, Dig Local, Inc. and Beaches Local Food Network, merged with one shared goal: to transform the modern food system through grassroots action. To this day, Dig Local Network continues to grow opportunities for people to connect with healthy food, their neighbors, and the land.
We support local farmers, empower families with hands-on learning, and cultivate food equity through education and accessibility by way of community gardens, farmers’ markets, and nutrition education. With these sustainable routes, we envision a future where everyone can eat better. Access to good, nutritious food is a human right, regardless of a person’s location or economic status.
Through strong community partnerships and a deep-rooted belief in collective impact, Dig Local Network creates spaces where people of all backgrounds can come together to grow, learn, and thrive. Whether it’s a child discovering the taste of a fresh-picked tomato, a newbie being taught how to grow their first fruiting plant, or a local farmer meeting new customers, our programs are designed to build lasting relationships and resilient communities. By investing in local food systems, we’re also investing in the health, economy, and well-being of Northeast Florida.
A history of growing together…
The Original Network:
Beaches Local Food Network began as a small farmer’s market in a parking lot in Jacksonville Beach. Identifying a need for hands-on gardening and educational opportunities, the seed for a community garden was planted. By the summer of 2008, the soil in Jarboe Park had been tilled for the Beaches Community Garden and had a decently-sized farmer’s market, the Beaches Green Market, with three local farms and many other green products. Beaches Local Food Network will be forever grateful for the hard work and commitment of founders Gretchen Ferrell and Jonathan Felts.
The Roots of DIG:
By way of community gardens, farmers’ markets, and accessible education, Dig Local, a not-for-profit organization, worked to provide communities of all economic levels a choice when faced with the ills of the modern food system.
Their story began in 2010 with two AmeriCorps volunteers (Jade and Becky) with Beaches Habitat in Atlantic Beach. The two women had started seeds with some of the kids at the Jordan Park Community Center but quickly realized that there was nowhere to put the plants as they grew.
Through their shared dream and a provision of land via Beaches Habitat and the City of Atlantic Beach, this organization was started. Originally the Dutton Island Gardeners, or DIG, was made up of a few community members. Over time, it has evolved into 501c3 with a board of directors and multiple projects.