05/29/2026
“How can we help communities flourish? How can we help support career pathways for students? And how can we help them see the bigger picture of what’s out there? We can do it all through agriculture.”
Those words from Dr. Mandy Manna were featured this week in The Philadelphia Citizen’s profile highlighting her work as a 2026 Integrity Icon, and they perfectly capture the mission behind Fox Chase Farm.
The article shares the story of how a young woman who grew up on a hog farm near Gettysburg found her way to Philadelphia and helped transform Fox Chase Farm into one of the region’s most innovative educational programs.
Today, students aren’t just visiting the farm. They’re exploring STEM through hydroponics, building career skills through internships in welding, carpentry, culinary arts, animal science, and agriculture, participating in therapeutic programs, and discovering opportunities they may never have known existed.
Under Dr. Manna’s leadership, Fox Chase Farm has expanded from serving 3,800 students annually through field trips to offering 16 educational programs that impact thousands of Philadelphia students every year.
We’re grateful to The Philadelphia Citizen for sharing Dr. Manna’s story and helping shine a light on the incredible students, educators, staff, partners, and supporters who make this work possible every day.
Congratulations again, Dr. Manna. Your vision continues to create opportunities that extend far beyond the farm gates.
