In honor of Food Moxie’s 10th anniversary, this month’s “Why I Give” highlights someone who truly honors the essence of generosity. Wayne Nembhard, owner of local tech business Digital Innovation, found his way to Food Moxie when Weavers Way IT director David Chaplin-Loebell introduced Wayne to the Urban Farm Bike Ride in 2013. He has been an avid participant and sponsor ever since. 

The bike ride was the first thing that appealed to Wayne, “because they were going around to different urban farms and bringing awareness to the farms, and I found the activists who were doing this to be pretty cool. I decided that I wanted to do more than just riding.” From that point forward, Digital Innovation and Wayne have been consistent sponsors and donors to the Urban Farm Bike Ride and Food Moxie. 

Soon he was also moved to invest in the Farm to Table dinner, Food Moxie’s fundraising event held at Awbury Arboretum every fall. He was inspired to sponsor after a volunteer talked with passion about the impact of the work of the organization.

Wayne admires how Food Moxie welcomes kids and teaches them to understand farming and gardening — life lessons that give them tools and a lifelong connection to the planet, things that he believes we’re slowly losing. 

Beyond wanting to “do good” for his local community, Wayne also has a back story that connects him to what Food Moxie does. He’s an alum of Martin Luther King High School, where we sponsor the Hope Farm program to teach life skills to intellectually disabled students through urban farming. He has an herb garden at home and a newly installed hydroponic garden where he grows basil and chard right next to his office in Mt. Airy. And it’s in his blood — his parents were farmers in Jamaica, and he grew up hearing wonderful stories of living and working on the farm. 

For him, farming is more than just food. “When I think about farming, not only do I think about growing food, but I think about my heritage; and it’s very calming and relaxing. 

“To be honest, up until Food Moxie, there was no reason for me to ever talk about my connection to agriculture. I am 100 percent myself at Food Moxie. When I’m around all of that, I’m 100 percent Wayne.” 

And why does Wayne give to Food Moxie? He understands that it takes money to keep anything going, including a nonprofit community organization like Food Moxie that needs to move its work forward. “If I can contribute to making that happen, it feels like I can do my job as a citizen. Whatever I can do, I’ll do, for Food Moxie.” 

Want to be like Wayne and help our programs that support the most in-need in our community? Support Food Moxie by sending in a year-end gift. In return, you will not only receive a tax deduction, you will also benefit from knowing that children and parents living in the most uncertain situations will be provided the tools to live and build healthier communities. 

Thank you, Wayne, and thanks to all of you, from Food Moxie.