On Friday, September 5, 2025, Peace Produce officially opened for business on William Peace University’s campus.
The brainchild of Matthew Harvey, Executive Director of Produce Purpose, along with his father, Duke, and dedicated to his late brother, Patrick, Peace Produce is a hydroponic farm that will employ individuals with special needs, provide fresh vegetables to university students and community partners, and create immersive learning opportunities. Patrick graduated from Peace in 2019 and later passed away from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“This university was a very special place to my late brother Patrick, and it is and always will be a very special place to my family and me,” Matthew Harvey said. “Through its support, Peace is demonstrating its commitment to innovation, social responsibility, and immersive learning. This container will be a vessel for immersive learning opportunities.”
On the side of the container, “for PJH Class of ’19” was painted as a visual tribute to Patrick. The container’s outside design – featuring the Peace logo, along with an image of three individuals with produce in their hands – is a deliberate representation of the partnership between Peace and Produce Purpose.
“We have our new brand this year and it is proudly displayed on the farm container,” Peace President Lynn Morton said. “I’m excited about that, and I think this might be the first place that we have something this big with our brand on it.”
Sodexo, which provides food services and facilities management, also partnered with the Harvey family and William Peace University. Sodexo is the dining services supplier for Peace.
“I am so pleased to be able to say thanks to Sodexo and thanks to the great work of the Harveys, we will be serving this lettuce in our dining hall,” Morton said. “We are really looking forward to that, and I know our students are as well.”
Salad samples, produced in the hydroponic farm, were available to attendees, along with beverages from 321 Coffee.
The farm was created in partnership with the nonprofit Produce Purpose.
Produce Purpose is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in Raleigh, NC. Its goals are to mitigate the stubbornly high rate of unemployment among those with special needs, offer sustainably grown produce to counteract the current arable land shortage, and encourage healthy eating in young people.
The container, built by Freight Farms, provides the right amount of light, water, and airflow, creating an efficient growing environment 365 days a year.
Peace will begin incorporating harvests into its dining hall meals and providing immersive learning activities with the farm. Immersive learning is a distinguishing element of William Peace University’s academic approach. Every course includes opportunities to actively apply knowledge into practice with meaningful engagement in real-world contexts.
Matthew told the crowd Patrick was a proud Pacer, and his spirit and legacy fuel everything they do.
“We are excited and grateful, especially given that our purpose is important,” Matthew told the crowd. “Thank you to Peace for partnering with us.”
