January 2026 Update from Jessica Hearne
“Our Urban Farm is at rest for the season, but there is still plenty of work to do in Danville! I have been working a little extra recently on helping people access food. As you probably know, the government is making significant changes to programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), and I am hearing from many friends and neighbors whose assistance has been reduced or eliminated, or who have been held up in processing paperwork for renewal because of cuts to Social Services, etc. This means that more people are being left hungry, either temporarily or permanently, at the same time that grocery prices are skyrocketing. I have been working to connect people to the local food pantry, to get grocery store vouchers and gift cards to fill gaps, and to try to access state ID so that folks don't get held up on receiving their Social Security or SNAP benefits. Prayer for these things is greatly appreciated! Additionally, I am beginning a new program, alongside CBF Virginia, to try to find new, coalition-based solutions to some of these issues. I don't know yet what that will look like, but prayers for discernment are also appreciated. Finally, it's already almost time to start some seedlings for our farm season, so I'm looking forward to getting my hands dirty again.”
Who is our CBF Field Personnel?
After several months of listening to the passions and interests of our congregation, working with CBF's Director of Mission Engagement, Ellen Sechrest, and praying and discerning as a committee, the MAC is excited to share that we feel called to partner with Jessica Hearne.
Jessica was commissioned as a CBF field personnel in 2012 and serves in Danville, Virginia. Before becoming a field personnel, Jessica and her family lived in Danville where she worked as a school teacher. Over time, Jessica felt called to engage and serve the community of Danville in a more intentional way.
She and her husband founded a ministry called "Grace and Main Fellowship." Grace and Main is an intentional, ecumenical Christian community devoted to hospitality, simplicity, prayer, nonviolent action, and grassroots community development. Jessica ministers with and among people in Danville who are experiencing homelessness, hunger, poverty, addiction, and food and housing insecurity.
There are several ways that Jessica and Grace and Main care for their community. You can read them all here, but we've highlighted three below:
Housing: G&M provides hospitality houses for short-term housing for those in need; they also advocate for local and state policies and practices that make housing more affordable and available
Urban Farm: G&M's urban farm provides hundreds of pounds of fresh produce every year to those who are experiencing food insecurity or who live in a food desert. They also use sustainable practices in an attempt to take creation care seriously.
Tool Library: Friends and neighbors can borrow tools, landscaping equipment, pressure washers, etc. to maintain their homes or to earn extra income through side work.
Learn more about Jessica and donate here.