Andrea Loudd

I recognized that my community was being ignored and accepting whatever was given even when it was not meeting their needs. I realized we were living in a food desert. I was introduced to DPHE/FIC which helped me purchase seed for a community garden in turned I became a Community Navigator for NourishColorado. When the pandemic hit no one was looking out for how we would get food. I was connected to ReVision, who connected me to Lifespan local and the Southwest Food Coalition.

 

There was so much fear, which never bothered hunger and offered no healthy food alternatives. I recognize that my community wanted to have fresh produce but could not afford it. I knew that Denver Food Rescue would help. On Saturdays I started a NO Cost Grocery Store. Two years later I became motivate to have a No Cost Farmer's Market. With surrounding support my community have set aside their can good and process food and focus on healthy produce. The store and market help make ends meet, seniors are able to purchase other daily living items, single parents are able to feed their children healthier meals and assist others who do not qualify for SNAP.

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My partnership with FIC has been there from the beginning. It was because of FIC that I was able to purchase seed veggies and fruit for the community. FIC helped me with my market communications and outreach by TA support on how to create flyer, signs, and also provided tech support and partnerships for deliveries.