This project trains residents in low-income communities in Denver how to grow fresh, organic produce for their families, and to earn a sustainable livelihood by creating a community farmers market.
We are addressing the epidemic of a lack of healthy food in low-income and underserved neighborhoods, which further perpetuates a cycle of poverty, poor health, and violence. The USDA estimates that 44 million Americans (500,000 in Denver) are food insecure. In Westwood, a neighborhood in SW Denver with a total population of 16,000 residents – 24% below Federal poverty levels - there is not one grocery store. As a result, 15% of residents have diabetes, and 78% are overweight or obese.
This systemic cycle can be reversed through a comprehensive community food project that includes food production through backyard gardens and community urban farms, distribution through neighborhood markets, and education on food and nutrition.
We plan to initiate a Community Food Project in 11 communities, which will produce over 100,000 pounds of food for over 5,000 families. The result will be an increase in healthy eating and a dramatic decline in diet-related illness.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
