Southwest Colorado is a magical place to visit, attracting thousands of tourists each year. But those of us who have been here for years or generations and have planted deep roots in this area know that the true beauty is found in our community and the ways we support one another.
When Rachel Landis first set foot in the Animas Valley to accept a job at Fort Lewis College's Environmental Center, she was mesmerized by the valley’s sweeping vistas and vibrant community. Yet, beneath the surface of this beauty, she saw a critical gap: while many community groups, nonprofits, farms, and institutions were tirelessly doing amazing work to address food security and sustainability, their efforts often felt disconnected. She envisioned a way to weave these voices together into a stronger fabric by amplifying their positive effects, and thus The Good Food Collective was born.
Landis and her team try to facilitate more strategic collaboration between the business sector, government agencies, and the people who provide direct food services. The GFC family is a small but mighty group of interdisciplinary women. Lauren Ames, the Food Security Director at GFC, stated, “Our goal is to work with partners, stakeholders, and community members across our foodshed and… collaboratively build a more just and thriving food system”. GFC currently works across Southwest Colorado in Archuleta County, La Plata County, Montezuma County, and the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute reservations.
The GFC has grown to be a part of the La Plata Food Equity Coalition, an organization of dedicated community members who work together to identify local issues and create local solutions. The Coalition’s “efforts are focused on addressing the needs and building the power of those residents and communities most chronically and deeply impacted by food insecurity and health inequities”. They do this through a collective impact model, leaning into the power of our community and uplifting underrepresented and disadvantaged voices.
GFC and the Coalition ask those who are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity, “What would it take to have access to food that would support your well-being?”. Participants desire financial security, thus leading to agency and resources. The coalition heard their wishes loud and clear and created multiple workgroups to find local solutions. These include Voces de Communidad (community voices), Language Justice, Cuidado Infantil (childcare), and Food Business Equity.
Tiffany Chacon is the Early Childhood Project Manager of the Coalition and works closely with Cuidado Infantil. Cuidado Infantil is a grassroots group of Latina community members that meet and work to give their children equitable childcare. From this, the Latinx Early Care and Education Task Force was created to identify specific goals and strategies to strengthen early care and education for all children in La Plata County. These resources make our Latinx families feel more supported and loved, whilst also allowing them to partake in the local workforce.
Erin Jolley is the facilitator of the Food Business workgroup which aims to reach economic opportunity and financial security through entrepreneurship. They want to create a food business ecosystem that aids business owners who experience barriers when embarking on entrepreneurship. Often these barriers are felt by those who do not have equitable opportunity to start a business. This may be due to rural locations, low income, or not speaking English as a first language. Jolley states, “We are changing our business ecosystem to accommodate, support, and celebrate a diversity of food businesses in our county”.
As Fall brings its crisp breezes and changing colors, be sure to look out for the community harvest program. Oftentimes families have an excess of produce from their fruit trees and gardens that is ultimately wasted. GFC created the community harvest database to combat this issue and connect fruit tree owners with others who could benefit from their local produce. Tree owners can upload information about their trees on the database where community members can then go and schedule a time to harvest the excess fruit. GFC also hosts larger community harvests regularly throughout the fall. Visit their website to learn more or sign up for their weekly newsletter.
And don’t forget, October 12th is the Apple Days Festival at the Durango Farmers Market! It’s a wonderful day to celebrate the abundance of fruit in our region. And remember, beauty stems from a strong community, so come on down for some fresh local cider and family fun activities!
True beauty is found in our community and the ways we support one another.
Our goal is to build a just and thriving food system.