Common Ground Producers and Growers (Common Ground) is a Mobile Market and Mobile Food Hub which provides fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables to food deserts and food insecurity areas. They do this by partnering with Kansas farmers and growers to provide fresh produce to their communities at an affordable price.
Donna Pearson McClish, a multi-generation urban farmer, is the founder and CEO of Common Ground Mobile Market and Mobile Food hub, a unique mobile food hub serving both urban and rural families. She is involved with local, state, and national community partners, and was appointed by the governor of Kansas to the State Board of Agriculture in 2021.
Common Ground was identified by USDA NIFA as an event host organizer for the 22007 Discrimination Financial Assistance Program Outreach Support Funding through NCBA CLUSA in 2023. They were awarded $7,500 and successfully hosted 3 events in November and December of 2023 with more than 250 farmers in attendance over the course of each event.
Common Ground is also a NCBA CLUSA small grant recipient, receiving $20,000 in 2024 to provide training and technical assistance to farmers in increasing production, expanding local farmer networks, creating opportunities for new markets, and strengthening local food systems.
Their primary goal is to increase access to fresh, healthy food, including proteins, fruits, and vegetables, particularly for historically underserved populations. To continue to support this vision, Common Ground will focus on community and farmer empowerment by supporting farmers with training and technical assistance as they make a financial impact on their communities by providing online and in-person training to assist farmers in urban and rural areas, and small-scale growers in understanding basic accounting and business plan development and also to provide training for farmers to develop bank-ready business plans for their farms and ranches prior to submitting applications for capital funding. These resources will be used to foster independence in food production and to strengthen their local economy.
On May 14, 2024, the organization will attend the Rural Communities in Action event at the White House, and Donna will serve on a panel with 3 other rural leaders focused on rural human services moderated by a member of the Administration.
Common Ground was a recipient of an equity grant from United Way of the Plain’s through the Promise on the Plains initiative. The funding they received went towards Common Ground’s mission of serving those without access to healthy and fresh food, but when we went to see how it worked, we learned they are doing more than food delivery. We congratulate them on this achievement and look forward to their continued success! Watch the video below to learn more.