Growing Wealth & Wellness in West Virginia with WV-grown Food
www.communitymarketsinc.org
July 2026 News: Never A Dull Moment!
Dear Friends of Community Markets Inc.,
There’s truly never a dull moment at a small but growing nonprofit organization like CMI! Each member of our team is critical to ensuring that food insecure families keep getting fed with healthy & WV-grown food and our farmers continue receiving the monetary and logistical support they need to keep producing food in our beloved Mountain State.
Your support is also critical if Community Markets Inc. is to solidify itself as a longer-term community asset for today’s and tomorrow’s food security and local food access needs. Enjoy Breakfast at the VFW in Charles Town this Saturday Morning as an easy & tasty way to support us!
We need more collaborators with hearts to serve and courageous & hard-working spirits to pioneer into uncharted waters of increased organizational capacity & impact. Visit Our New Careers page if you’re interested.
Keep Growing,
Mark Peiffer
Operations Manager
Impact at a Glance
In over three & a half years, Community Markets Inc. has fed over 24,020 people in 12 WV counties with 246,950 lbs. of healthy & locally-sourced food and put $761,920 back into farmers‘ and small family business owners’ pockets.
In June 2026 alone, Community Markets Inc. fed 374 people with 4,680 lbs. of healthy & locally-sourced food and put $29,229 back into farmers‘ and small family business owners’ pockets.
June Highlights
☀️ Welcome Summer AmeriCorps Interns!
We’re blessed to add three AmeriCorps Interns to the CMI Team for June & July: Preston, Roxann, & Sidney! Over 9 weeks, they’re assisting with markets, food distributions, outreach, and community programming while gaining valuable nonprofit professional experience. CMI is grateful to partner with WV’s Promise Youth Alliance to make this summer internship opportunity possible for these three young professionals.
Visit CMI’s About Page to learn more about each Summer Intern.
👋 Thank You Shannon & Welcome Michele!
June saw Shannon conclude her service with Community Markets Inc. and Michele Bakin assume the Program Manager role.
Thank you to Shannon for your dedication and the many contributions you’ve made to Community Markets Inc.! Your service has helped strengthen our mission and community.
We’re excited to welcome Michele to the CMI Team! She’s already applying in her new role her extensive agricultural background, work ethic, and passion for local food and serving the community!
Visit Michele’s Bio Page to learn more about her. Take a moment to welcome her also via email or when you see her at an upcoming Market!
📦 Hundreds Fed at Inwood Food Box Giveaway!
Our June Food Box Giveaway in Inwood was another wonderful example of community partnership in action. Over 370 food insecure West Virginians received fresh, nutritious food thanks to the support of dedicated volunteers and generous funding partners.
A special thank you to St. Leo Catholic Church for hosting this event, as well as The Wawa Foundation and The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation for helping make this distribution possible.
🎒 Local Food Backpack Program Feeds over 500 JCS K-12 Students
Community Markets Inc., in partnership with Jefferson County Schools, fed more than 500 K–12 students as they began their summers with backpacks filled with fresh, local groceries.
By providing nutritious food during the school break, the Local Food Backpack Program helps bridge the gap when school meals are unavailable while supporting local farmers and strengthening our community’s food system.
🎉 CMI at Shepherdstown Street Fest
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the CMI booth during Shepherdstown Street Fest! We enjoyed meeting new community members, sharing information about our programs, and connecting with longtime supporters. We were able to distribute for free: Apples & vegetables from Cooper Farms, salad dressing, whole milk, and chocolate milk!
A special thank you to Greentree Realty of Shepherdstown for generously providing booth space in front of their storefront and helping us be part of this wonderful community event!
📣 Mark Joins National AmeriCorps Cohort
CMI Operations Manager Mark Peiffer is honored to be named in the inaugural cohort of Alums Amplified, a national effort by Service Year Alliance to tell the story of AmeriCorps and its continuing importance in our nation today. Mark joins over 50 other AmeriCorps alumni from around America whose lives were transformed through AmeriCorps service and want to tell their stories.
Learn more about Alums Amplified and Service Year Alliance HERE. Read Mark’s bio HERE.
Want to bring Mark to speak at your next event, podcast, or radio show? Contact him today!
🤝 Recent Partners & Funders
Community Markets Inc. is very grateful for the recent grants and support that we’ve received from the following partners:
- Highmark Foundation – $80,000 for the Food Box Giveaway Program
- Senator Patricia Rucker (R-16) – $20,000 for Refrigerated Van
- Encova Foundation – $10,000 for the Food Box Giveaway Program
- Burke & Herbert Bank – $5,000 for Operational Support in honor of Jill Upson
- Alfredo’s Mediterranean Grille & Steakhouse – $150 for Operational Support
Thank you, Senator Rucker, for honoring the late Delegate Larry Kump’s legacy & continuing to support WV farmers and agriculture!
How Can I Get Involved? July at CMI
🍳🍽️🥞 THIS SATURDAY! VFW Fundraiser: Eat Breakfast & Support CMI!
Join the CMI Team THIS Saturday morning, July 11 from 7 am – 10 am at the VFW Post 3522 in Charles Town for an all-you-can-eat breakfast fundraiser. All proceeds will benefit CMI’s mission, so invite a friend and come hungry! Dine-in or carry out.
Please RSVP at the Facebook Event and share the flyer below with friends & family.
💼 We’re Hiring — Explore the New Careers Page!
We now have a place on our website where you can see the latest employment opportunities at Community Markets Inc.! Explore the New Careers Page to learn more about our full-time year-long AmeriCorps VISTA positions, part-time Truck & Trailer Driver, and more! We’re currently looking for a year-long Mobile Markets Coordinator AmeriCorps VISTA Member.
Your journey to more meaningful work begins HERE. Learn more & apply now!
🛒 Shop Local & Affordable This Summer!
Stay within your grocery budget while enjoying fresh, seasonal food by pre-ordering from CMI’s mobile markets, your one-stop-shop for all things local food!
St. Isidore Market and Magnolia Market both offer convenient online ordering with hundreds of locally-grown produce, meats, ice cream, dairy, baked goods, and pantry items to choose from!
While you feed your family affordably with WV-grown food, you’re helping CMI raise money to feed food insecure families who can’t shop at the Market AND you’re ensuring that farm-fresh food keeps being produced in our community – It doesn’t get much better than that!!
Visit both market websites using the links above to see the latest products and vendors, then place your pre order from Fridays to Tuesdays at noon for pick up later in the week!
St. Isidore Market Home Delivery & Drop Point
Delivery: Did You Know? Your St. Isidore Market Pre Order can now be delivered to your home on Thursday night or Friday if you live in Charles Town, Ranson, Shepherdstown, or Shenandoah Junction! Select the Delivery option at checkout to get started!
Live towards Inwood or Middleway? Have your Pre Order delivered to our Drop Point at Priest Field for easy pick up on Thursday evenings! Select the Priest Field Drop Point at checkout to get started!
📦 July Food Box Giveaway
Our next Food Box Giveaway is just around the corner on Wednesday, July 22 from 11 am – 6 pm while food lasts! We’ll be at Blue Ridge Community & Technical College’s main campus on Apple Harvest Drive in Martinsburg with First Energy & other utility companies and service providers offering help to the community in a variety of different ways. CMI’s contribution will be 150 bags of farm-fresh food as well as a wonderful volunteer opportunity!
Stay tuned to our website and Facebook page for event details, volunteer opportunities, and ways to support the Food Box Giveaway Program, including Sponsoring an upcoming Giveaway!
Ready to Make an Impact?
Donate, volunteer, serve, or partner with us — there are many ways to support Community Markets Inc. and help expand food access in our community.
Ready to increase health and wellness for every West Virginian with West Virginian Grown Food?
Become a Monthly Donor today!
Like Community Markets Inc., St. Isidore Market, & Magnolia Market on Facebook.
Feed Hungry Families. Support our Farmers. Increase Local Food Access.