Katelyn Lough
Food Access Intern
Katelyn Lough. Photo by Caroline Hockenberry My name is Katelyn Lough, and I was the Food Access Intern with the Fairfax County Farmers Markets. I had the pleasure to work alongside Caroline Hockenberry and Liza Moore, who greatly contributed to my experience with their mentorship and support. As a junior Political Science student at James Madison University, I entered this role to explore food security through public outreach, program assistance, and sustainability practices in urban agriculture. The internship program provided a wide range of opportunities beyond these initial interests and reinforced my passion to pursue a career in public service.
This summer, I focused on promoting the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and SNAP benefit matching opportunities by presenting information at a number of local community centers. After returning to a senior center for a follow-up visit, I was able to guide individuals through their program application to ease the process of obtaining their food access benefits. Also, I helped facilitate the Nourish Your Neighbor food donation program, which collects fresh produce for local food banks in Fairfax County. Observing the direct impacts of these opportunities to increase the accessibility of nutritious food was one of the most valuable aspects of the internship experience.
Other responsibilities in this role included assisting in market operations, data organization, program research, marketing, and communications. I was also included in six farm visits, where I learned about organic farming, vinification, urban agriculture practices, livestock processing, greenhouse production, and sustainability in agriculture. Drawing from these experiences, I look forward to continuing my academic and professional development in public service and prioritizing the urgent food access needs within the community.
