San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition

"Foster an equitable local food system that restores the health of the people, community, economy and ecosystem."

Cooking Matters is Hiring!

Cooking Matters of the San Luis Valley is hiring a full-time Nutrition Educator. Bilingual preferred. Please click here for full job description and how to apply. Closes November 25th. View Job Description on our Employment page »»

Valley Roots Food Hub is Hiring!

The Valley Roots Food Hub is bulging at the seams! This is great news. We are excited to add passionate hard working members to our team. We have open positions for an Operations Manager, a Driver & Warehouse Manager and a Retail Store & CSA Manager. View Job Descriptions on our Employment page »»

Double Up Food Bucks Advocates Needed!

Winter 2018-Spring 2019 Community Food Advocates - San Luis Valley
LFC is working with LiveWell Colorado to find Double Up Food Bucks Advocates.
LiveWell Colorado is actively working to transform access to nutritious food in the entire state through the Double Up Food Bucks program. Currently, during the winter, the only open access to DUFB in the SLV is Saguache Works in Saguache County. In the summer two farmers markets also participate. LiveWell Colorado is taking DUFB to the next level and is looking to develop and increase community engagement. View Community Food Advocates' Opportunity »»

LiveWell Colorado HEAL Summit 2018

Join us Nov. 29th-30th for LiveWell's annual HEAL Summit! We are thrilled to welcome Qiana Mickie, Executive Director of Just Food & Paul Schmitz, CEO of Leading Inside Out as our 2018 Summit keynote speakers. Join us for our premier annual convening that brings together HEAL leaders throughout the state and beyond. Learn More & Get Early Bird Tickets! »»

Rio Reels Film Festival - Nov. 9th, 2018

Friends,
Just wanted to be sure you knew about this fun night of film, food, drink and friends— all in support of a great cause, the restoration of our river through the work of the Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project!

The event is a film festival that celebrates rivers and the joys they bring to our lives, silent and live auctions with exciting, local prizes, along with snacks, wine and beer to enjoy throughout the evening.

Rio Reels will be on Friday, November 9th from 6-9pm at ASU's McDaniel Hall, Room 101. (There's plenty of parking on the east side of the building.) For more info and to purchase advance tickets visit Rio Grande Headwaters »»
Hope to see you there!

Liza Marron recognized for the 2018 Dr. Virgilio Licona Community Health Leadership Award!

Last week, the Foundation recognized Liza Marron for the 2018 Dr. Virgilio Licona Community Health Leadership Award at the Colorado Health Symposium. This annual award program seeks to recognize Coloradans who are finding innovative and effective strategies to overcoming community health barriers across the state.

A true champion for social justice, Liza has relentlessly shined a light on community health issues by raising the voices of those left in the shadows. Throughout her career, Liza has fought to bring health in reach for more Coloradans by working to develop programs and policies that advance food access and security, especially for migrant workers. Of her many successes, Liza has also worked on a mentoring program for asset-challenged youth, that inspired her to become a licensed foster care home, specializing in hard-to-place youth.

Today, as the founding director of the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition (SLVLFC), she is helping to foster an equitable food system that restores the health of the people, community, economy and ecosystem. Key programs and projects underway at SLVLFC include the Valley Roots Food Hub aggregation and distribution enterprise complete with commercial kitchen for value-added production; the Rio Grande Farm Park, a farmer incubator and recreation park; Cooking Matters program that teaches families to cook healthy on a budget; and the San Luis Valley Farm-to-School Task Force.

The award program is named after the late Dr. Virgilio Licona, who passed in 2016. Dr. Licona worked to improve the health of Coloradans most in need, focusing his expertise as a physician in rural health care delivery and migrant health. A nationally recognized advocate for social justice, he brought a critical voice to some of the most important conversations and decisions related to how we can bring health in reach for all Coloradans. Learn more about the award program and Liza's work to enrich healthy minds, bodies and communities.
Read more about the Community Health Leadership Award at the Valley Courier.

Colorado Gives - Give Where You Live

Consider Donating to the SLVLFC on Colorado Gives Day, December 4th, 2018
Giving season is just around the corner with Colorado Gives day coming up on December 4th! Colorado Gives Day is an annual statewide movement to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Colorado through online giving. Donations are accepted through ColoradoGives.org, where thousands of nonprofits have come together to make online giving easy.

When you give on Colorado Gives Day, the value of your dollar is boosted by a generous $1 million incentive fund! Whether you give $1 or $100 to the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition, your contribution will be valued and used to further our collective work:

• Teaching low income families how to cook healthy on a budget through Cooking Matters
• Connecting consumers to local farms and ranches through the Local Roots Guide
• Aggregating and distributing local farm produce to your local schools, retail outlets, restaurants and even Adams State University though the Valley Roots Food Hub
• Hosting Harvest of the Month events in Schools via the Farm to School Task Force (made up of Cooking Matters, SLVLFC, INEP, and VEGI)
• Incubating new, regenerative-minded farmers on the Rio Grande Farm Park
• Hosting a free-attendance LOCAL!Harvest Festival every fall at the Farm Park

The Local Foods Coalition was born out of a grassroots campaign comprised of community members that care deeply about restructuring our local food system. As the LFC works to build an equitable local food system, grassroots giving will ensure continued success in tackling systemic food issues within the San Luis Valley. Your small gift can make a big difference! So as you reflect on what you are thankful for this season, we ask that you participate in Colorado Gives Day on December 5th to show support for a beloved nonprofit in your neighborhood. You can find the Local Foods Coalition at ColoradoGives.org. Follow the Donate Now button below to donate or schedule your donation for December 5th.Happy Holidays,
The Local Foods Coalition

           

Schedule Colorado Gives Day in your virtual calendar!
Add to Outlook | Add to Google Calendar | Add to iCalendar

Interested in getting more involved with Double Up Food Bucks?

LiveWell Colorado is actively working to transform access to nutritious food in the entire state. One of its major programs, Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB), allows SNAP recipients to receive $1 for every $1 spent on SNAP-eligible food, up to $20. These "double up food bucks" can then be used to purchase fresh Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables. DUFB was started in 2016 and has helped people bring home more healthy fruits and vegetables while supporting local farmers. LiveWell Colorado is taking DUFB to the next level and is looking to develop and increase community engagement.

In order to do this, LiveWell will be working with partners across the state to develop the Community Food Advocates program. This program works with local ambassadors to share the DUFB program with community members and organizations to increase participation.

We are actively seeking current or past recipients of SNAP and DUFB participants as Community Food Advocates. We are currently looking for Advocates in Southwest Colorado (Montezuma and La Plata Counties, with some outreach in Archuleta and Dolores Counties), Denver, Garfield County, Montrose County, and the San Luis Valley.

Community Food Advocates will partner with community members to support the DUFB program. Advocates will promote and increase community participation in the program. Stipends are provided.
For more information, please review the additional PDF page »»

Department of Agriculture Farm Bill 2018

WHAT: Now that Farm Bill 2018 is really rocking and rolling (see House version just introduced HERE »») LiveWell will be working with its CO Food Policy Network partners to convene a Farm Bill Action Team! (Yes you can call it FBAT "fuh-bat"!)

The FBAT will be an action-oriented group for anyone and everyone that wants a Farm Bill that supports infrastructure for the entire seed-to-table food system, promotes the development of regional and local food systems, and prioritizes access to nutritious food with a particular focus on low-income communities and communities of color. Regular calls will provide the mechanism for LiveWell and other groups to share current messaging and regular action items (from easy to a little more involved) that you can do.

WHEN: We will host 30-minute calls every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, 12pm-12:30. Bring your lunch and see standing call-in info below here!

WHY: To keep all interested partners current on the most pressing calls-to-action related to local food systems and healthy food access in the Farm Bill.

WHO: You and anyone else you know who wants to take action to support a Farm Bill aligned with our statement above! There is no need to RSVP, just jump on the calls when you can.

WHERE: This Zoom call-in info below will be the same for every call. We will take notes and record the calls, but you will have to let us know if you miss a call but want the notes. Please calendar these calls!

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://livewellcolorado.zoom.us/j/459389354 »»
Or iPhone one-tap: US: +1 646-558-8656,459389354#
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 646-558-8656     Meeting ID: 459 389 354

Questions?
Contact LiveWell Colorado - Wendy, Director of Food Systems »» or Terri, Director of Food Policy »»

Tierra Vida Farm - High Production Micro Farm Presentation 2018

Daniel Fullmer shares his insightful presentation using raised beds and compost in the Desert Southwest with emphasis on practices of minimal to no tillage, composting, cover cropping, rotational grazing, intercropping, and transplanting.
View Tierra Vida Farm Presentation »»

Dia de los Muertos! Join Us for the Dia de los Muertos event hosted by the C.A.S.A. Center on Oct. 16th & Nov. 2nd-3rd at Adams State University in Alamosa. All events are FREE to the public! WE hope you will join in and spread the word! View Event Poster »»

Save the Date! Join us for the 6th Annual Local Harvest Festival on August 25th & 26th at the Rio Grande Farm Park in Alamosa. This year's event by the Local Foods Coalition will feature tours, educational experiences, delicious local foods, concert, and lots of fun for the whole family! View Event Poster »»

SLV Soil Health Meeting Join Us on Tuesday, August 21st, 7pm at the SLV Research Station for the SLV Soil Health Meeting. Discussion features special guest Dr. Huber, a Mineral Nutrition & Plant Disease Specialist. All are welcome. Light Refreshments & Hors D'oeuvres will be served. For more info contact Patrick O' Neill at 719-588-0836 or SLVSoilHealth@gmail.com