LIVEWELL COLORADO
1490 LAFAYETTE ST SUITE 404, DENVER, CO 80218 www.livewellcolorado.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: LIVEWELL COLORADO ("LIVEWELL") IS A STATEWIDE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO INCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING BY REMOVING BARRIERS THAT INEQUITABLY AND DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.

THROUGH OUR HEALTHY FOOD INCENTIVES WORK, WE UTILIZE LOCAL AND STATE FUNDING TO DRAW ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING INTO COLORADO SO PARTICIPANTS OF GOVERNMENT-FUNDED FOOD PROGRAMS HAVE INCREASED ACCESS TO HEALTHY, COLORADO-GROWN PRODUCTS. OUR LARGEST HEALTHY INCENTIVE PROGRAM IS THE DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS PROGRAM WHICH ENABLES PARTICIPANTS IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) TO USE INCENTIVES TO PURCHASE COLORADO-GROWN PRODUCE AT MORE THAN 100 FARMERS MARKETS, SOME GROCERY STORES, AND INNOVATIVE LOCAL RETAILERS (INCLUDING COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE, FOOD CO-OPERATIVES, CORNER STORES, AND URBAN AGRICULTURE MARKETPLACES) ACROSS THE STATE. SNAP FAMILIES CAN RECEIVE VOUCHERS FOR UP TO 20 PER DAY TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF COLORADO GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. IN 2019, OVER 246,000 IN DOUBLE UP INCENTIVES WERE REDEEMED AND OVER 600 FARMERS PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM HELPS SNAP CUSTOMERS WITH INCREASED ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD, GIVES PRODUCERS ACCESS TO NEW AND/OR EXPANDED MARKETS FOR THEIR PRODUCTS, AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY. IMPORTANTLY, 84% OF CUSTOMERS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM REPORT THEY ARE EATING MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. THE PROGRAM IS ENHANCED THROUGH STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH COOKING MATTERS WHICH OFFERS ON-SITE NUTRITION EDUCATION AT FARMERS MARKETS, COLORADO FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION, BOULDER COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HUMANS SERVICES WHICH ALSO FACILITATED A POST CARD MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR THE PROGRAM IN DENVER. LIVEWELL UTILIZES COMMUNITY FOOD ADVOCATES TO CREATE A GRASSROOTS AND SUSTAINABLE INCENTIVE PROGRAM BY WORKING WITH SNAP PARTICIPANTS AS KEY AMBASSADORS AND DECISION MAKERS IN PROGRAM OUTREACH AND PLANNING, WITH A GOAL OF INCREASING LIFE-LONG FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION BY SNAP PARTICIPANTS. ALSO INCLUDED IN OUR HEALTHY INCENTIVES PROGRAM WAS THE COLORADO NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (CNIP) WHICH DISTRIBUTED 190,000 TO FARMERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO PURCHASE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE SHARES TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO PARTICIPANTS IN THE WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN (WIC) PROGRAM AND OLDER ADULTS IN THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT CONGREGATE NUTRITION PROGRAM. CNIP DISTRIBUTED 513 COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE SHARES TO NEARLY 1,700 INDIVIDUALS IN 10 COUNTIES THROUGH 10 WIC PROGRAMS AND FOUR OLDER ADULT PROGRAMS. PROGRAM EVALUATION DEMONSTRATED THAT 91% OF WIC PARTICIPANTS AND 84% OF OLDER ADULT PARTICIPANTS REPORTED AN INCREASE IN FOOD SECURITY THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

THROUGH OUR HEALTHY FOOD IN INSTITUTIONS WORK, LIVEWELL INVESTED OVER 440,000 IN LOCAL PROCUREMENT COLORADO, LOPROCO, DESIGNED TO GROW AND STRENGTHEN LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS BY INCREASING THE PURCHASING POWER OF INSTITUTIONS THAT PROCURE AND PREPARE FOOD, WHILE ALSO CONNECTING THOSE INSTITUTIONS TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL PRODUCERS. THE PRIMARY INSTITUTIONAL PARTICIPANTS AT THIS POINT ARE K-12 SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE LOCAL PURCHASING OF HEALTHIER PRODUCTS TO STRENGTHEN THE FOOD SYSTEM WHILE ALSO PROVIDING ACCESS TO HEALTHIER OPTIONS WITHIN THESE INSTITUTIONS. THROUGH CULINARY WORKSHOPS WHICH TEACH THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SCRATCH COOKING, KNIFE SKILLS, AND SAFE FOOD HANDLING, LIVEWELL STAFF ALONG WITH A DEDICATED TEAM OF ON-SITE CHEF CONSULTANTS PARTNER WITH INSTITUTIONS TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE ACTION PLANS TO IMPROVE MEALS SERVED AND FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LOCAL PRODUCERS AND INSTITUTIONS SERVING THE PUBLIC. IN ADDITION, IN 2019 LIVEWELL WORKED WITH THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT TO CREATE A CULINARY TRAINING VIDEO FOR EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION FOOD SERVICE STAFF WHO PREPARE MEALS FOR CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD SERVICE SITES. ALSO, AS PART OF OUR HEALTHY FOOD IN INSTITUTIONS EFFORTS, LIVEWELL, WORKING WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS, WROTE AND PASSED HB19-1132, THE COLORADO SCHOOL FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAM. THIS THREE-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM PROVIDES A .05 CENT PER LUNCH REIMBURSEMENT FOR PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS TO PURCHASE COLORADO GROWN, RAISED, OR MINIMALLY PROCESSED PRODUCTS. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PRODUCERS, FOOD SYSTEM INTERMEDIARIES, AND SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM STAFF.

THROUGH OUR HEALTHY FOOD INFRASTRUCTURE WORK, LIVEWELL LEADS AND SUPPORTS STATE AND FEDERAL POLICY EFFORTS THAT LEVERAGE RESOURCES AND ALLOCATES THEM IN WAYS THAT INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD FOR ALL COLORADANS. LIVEWELL PLAYS A LEAD ROLE IN MOBILIZING INPUT FROM AROUND THE STATE AND PRESENTING A UNIFIED VOICE FROM 18 LOCAL FOOD COALITIONS ON A WIDE RANGE OF LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY OPPORTUNITIES. LIVEWELL ALSO CONDUCTS THE VOICES FOR COLORADO FOOD SYSTEMS PROGRAM, WHICH ENGAGES INDIVIDUALS IN LEARNING ABOUT AND CONDUCTING STATE-LEVEL POLICY ADVOCACY ALONG WITH LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SPEAKING TRAINING. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH FOOD INSECURITY OR WORK IN THEIR COMMUNITIES ON THIS ISSUE. THIS ANNUAL PROGRAM TYPICALLY HAS 12-20 PARTICIPANTS AND RUNS FROM SUMMER/FALL THROUGH THE FOLLOWING SPRING TO ACCOMMODATE THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT RUNS FROM JANUARY TO EARLY MAY. DURING THE PAST YEAR, AS THE FUNDING MOVED IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, LIVEWELL WOUND DOWN OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE HEAL CITIES & TOWNS CAMPAIGN , BUT NOT BEFORE ISSUING 25,000 IN MINI GRANTS TO LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES FOR PROJECTS DESIGNED TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. LIVEWELL ALSO HOSTED ITS SEVENTH ANNUAL HEAL SUMMIT, WHICH CONVENED MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AND MEMBERS TO LEARN AND SHARE BEST POLICY AND PRACTICES TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO HEALTH THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

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