For many Beaver County residents, the term “food desert” conjures up images of their local main street, where a Dollar General or convenience store is synonymous with a grocery store.
These same communities, like Beaver Falls, Aliquippa, and others, have felt the brunt of the region’s industrial decline.
But in these same communities, hope is billowing.
Watch the video below to learn more about the Aliquippa Food Co-op!
Please note: the org’s/individuals shown in this video do not represent an exhaustive list of those dedicated to food access. For more resources and organizations in the food space, continue reading!
"It is people coming together to own something together because they know they need it, or they know their community needs it," said Autumn Vogel of the Keystone Development Center.
"Why a co-op now? You can walk up and down the street and see why... This is considered a food desert. There's a void here that needs to be filled," said Ty Patillo, Aliquippa Food Co-op board president and Aliquippa native.
Watch the video below to learn more about the vision for bringing a member-owned grocery store to Aliquippa.
In partnership with the Beaver County Farmers' Markets and RiverWise, Beaver County residents can now use their SNAP Benefits at two county farmers' market locations.
Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Chippewa Township location, 2545 Darlington Road now to November.
Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Ambridge location, at Park Road and Sixth Street now to December.
Simply bring your SNAP/EBT card with you, and look for the SNAP table where you can use your card almost like a debit card, but instead of cash back you'll receive tokens that you can use at the market.
The Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh Co-op (BUGs FPC) works to increase food security by providing fresh, healthy food to Homewood residents and by building a sustainable food system that local community members have ownership of.
Through their 31,000 sq. ft. teaching farm in Homewood, the Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh Co-op nourishes relationships between community residents of all ages as they work toward food sovereignty for their neighborhood where people are empowered to grow their own fresh, organic produce. A healing garden helps young people begin to heal their traumas through the use of herbs, plants, meditation, yoga, and reiki, while the community farm reduces food insecurity and provides healthy food choices for families.
The BUGs FPC has been a grantee of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, whose Sister St. Mark Garden Fund supports community gardens in Western PA with grants of $500-1,000 that can be used for tools, seeds, fencing, and other maintenance needs for garden spaces that cultivate community and provide fresh, healthy food.
Watch two videos about BUGs FPC on YouTube here and here.
New Brighton Kids Community Garden open house is from 5:30 to 8:30 PM on Thursday, Aug. 14 at 410 Fifteenth Street. Join for a free community picnic and to learn about the garden. The first 50 kids will receive a free backpack filled with school supplies.
Crop & Kettle has paired two ongoing needs in Beaver County: job skills training for our neighbors facing barriers to employment and a healthy, locally-grown food system that benefits all of us.
Attending their Summer Dinner Gala on Thursday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. is a great way to learn more about their impact, meet current students, and enjoy a special evening of fine dining — appetizers, dinner, dessert, and drinks are included.
Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden's next Volunteer Service Day is from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., weather permitting, on Saturday, Aug. 23. All are welcome to visit the grounds, gardens, chickens, and Sisters anytime!
Please note: this list is not exhaustive. If we missed a food-related resource you or your organization offers, please let us know!
Find Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) near you via LocalHarvest here. CSA is a subscription-based program where you support a local farmer financially and receive produce!
The Produce Cart will be in Aliquippa twice during the month of August:
Seed to Supper is an initiative of Penn State Extension Master Gardeners, and runs each spring. The 2025 program concluded at the end of May, but check out this story in the Beaver County Times (available here) to learn more about how Seed to Supper impacted one local resident.
Food Banks: The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank partners with countless food banks throughout the greater Pittsburgh region, including Beaver County. Click here to see a schedule of distributions, food banks, and even some food kitchens, available during the month of August in Beaver County.
Soup Kitchens: Click here for a list of free meals in Beaver County in 2025. The list is also available on the Beaver County HMIS website.
According to the Little Beaver Historical Society, during WWI, J&L Steel gave each of its employees a garden plot on Crow Island to raise produce for their families. This practice was repeated during the Great Depression, and again during WWII. During wartime, they were known as "Victory Gardens," and during peace time, they were called "Liberty Gardens."
Follow the Little Beaver Historical Society's Facebook page here to learn more.
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Owen Rossi-Keen
Owen Rossi-Keen is the Founder and Principal Software Engineer at Iliad.dev, LLC, a web development agency focused on delivering enterprise-grade customization without the enterprise price-tag.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania