Growing Partners
is a partnership of non-profits and service agencies
dedicated to implementing sustainable local food programs
that reach all incomes, ages and cultures.
After
coming together in 2004, Growing Partners secured funding
from the USDA’s Community Food Project Competitive Grants
Program to initiate and lead the La Plata County Food
Assessment, the
first official community food assessment project to be
done in the state of Colorado.
The food assessment identified the current needs and
resources of the local food system, developed a
community-based definition to address and improve community
food security in La Plata County and proposed a series of
diverse food projects to address the issues identified.
In May
of 2009, Growing Partners received a second Community Food
Project Competitive Grant to work on the food projects
developed as part of the food assessment process and
evolved into a much larger, more diverse partnership.
The
2009-2012 Growing Partners Community Food Project
(CFP) involves
collaboration of over 20 non-profits and service agencies,
all working to implement sustainable local food projects
that address food security for underserved* populations in
La Plata County.
*
Who is ‘underserved’ in the La Plata County food system?
The La Plata County Food Assessment identified 6
demographic profile groups to have the least overall access
to healthy, local, affordable, culturally-appropriate and
sustainably produced foods in La Plata County: school-aged
children, teens, seniors, Native Americans, Latinos and
low-income families.
Goals
of the 09-12 Community Food Project
1. To improve access by underserved populations to high
quality, local, culturally-appropriate, and affordable
foods;
2. To empower underserved populations to grow their own
food and improve their nutrition; and
3. To ensure long-term food security for underserved
populations through direct involvement in food production,
networking, training, planning, and policy work.
Project
Partners
Healthy Community Food
Systems
The Garden Project
Turtle Lake Refuge
Southern Ute Community Action
Program
La Boca Center for
Sustainability
Southwest Marketing
Network
Fort Lewis College, Environmental
Center
Colorado State University Extension, La Plata
County
Share Our Strength’s Operation
Frontline
Community
Connections
Manna Soup Kitchen
The Unity Project
El Centro de Muchos
Colores
Los Companeros
9-R School District
Ignacio School
District
Healthy Lifestyle La
Plata
San Juan Basin Health
Department
La Plata County Senior
Center
Durango Farmers
Market
Healthy, Local Food Newsletter:
see
Healthy Lifestyles website
for latest issue.
Contact:
SUCAP
c/o Katy Pepinsky, Project Manager
PO Box 800
Ignacio, CO 81137
Phone: (970) 375-7705
E-mail:
katypepinsky@gmail.com
This
project is made possible by The Community Food Project
Competitive Grants Program of the United States Department
of Agriculture & the incredible dedication and hard
work of numerous individuals and partner
agencies.