Accessing Healthy Foods
Photo by Valerie Mosley / Special to The Colorado Trust
Overview
Many individuals and families in Colorado lack access to nutritious food, which can lead to poor health outcomes like increased risk of chronic diseases, impaired child development, and negative mental health impacts, particularly among low-income populations and people living in rural areas. Therefore, ensuring healthy food access and availability is vital for overall well-being and quality of life in Colorado communities. Through the Accessing Healthy Foods initiative, The Colorado Trust is funding 15 organizations that support expanded access to nutritious food, increased economic security, and activities promoting healthy eating.
Grantees
Adams Arapahoe School District 28-J
Support for providing fresh, local and culturally relevant foods for a district food clinic and monthly pop-up food markets serving students, families and caregivers.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $330,000
Boulder County Public Health
Support for providing monthly coupons for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables to people ineligible for federal food assistance, including historically underserved and immigrant communities.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $355,000
Colorado League of Charter Schools
Support for increasing access to nutritious and affordable quality meal options for 12 rural charter schools by enhancing infrastructure and access to resources.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $345,941
Food Bank of the Rockies
Support for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers and producers to distribute to neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $352,500
Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8
Support for building the infrastructure and systems to bring fresh, local and culturally relevant foods to district food pantry sites and directly to students, families and caregivers each week. Additionally, grant funds support creating and implementing education opportunities for students and families on nutrition and healthy cooking.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $345,340
Hunger Free Colorado
Support for the formation of school-nutrition community advisory councils to promote access to nutritious, culturally relevant foods, helping to implement new legislation (particularly in rural school districts), and supporting stakeholders in successfully implementing state legislation locally.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $355,000
La Puente Home
Support for purchasing food and distributing it as part of the Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley, and providing education on nutrition and food systems.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $355,000
Loaves & Fishes Ministries of Fremont County
Support for expanding food assistance programming to include a new client-choice food pantry, providing nonperishable food to students over the weekends and school holidays and expanding food assistance to remote communities in Fremont County.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $309,332
Love Inc. of the Yampa Valley
Support for expanding food distribution in Craig and extending food delivery to distribution sites in rural communities in Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt counties. Funding also supports programming to equip households to plan and prepare meals on a budget.
For more infomation, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $316,391
Mountain Roots Food Project
Support for expanding access to nutritious food, promoting healthy eating and increasing economic stability for families in Gunnison County with a weekly fresh-food box program, ongoing cooking skills education, and hosted community roundtables.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $338,645
Project Angel Heart
Support for preparing and delivering medically tailored meals to diverse groups of low-income Coloradans living with illnesses.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $355,000
The Growhaus
Support for a pop-up community choice market, where members can shop for fresh food and access cooking and nutrition education. Funding also supports professional development to build the skills to launch and operate the pilot community market.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $354,794
Valley Meals and More
Support for delivering produce and food boxes and offering medically tailored meals for older adults who face barriers to obtaining food independently.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $326,442
We Don’t Waste, Inc.
Support for increasing food access in the Denver metro area via a new mobile food market location, expanded partnerships with nonprofit food recipients, more food donors, and enhanced food education.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $352,662
Weld Food Bank
Support for procuring various fresh, healthy foods for distribution to communities throughout the county with a mobile food pantry.
For more information, visit the organization’s website.
Grant amount: $355,000
