Activity Timeline

2014

  • Hunger Free Golden is established as a community collaborative

  • Identified and invited stakeholders to the table

  • Began community engagement efforts – small group meetings, interviews to get input from community members who are struggling with food insecurity 

2015

  • Continued with community engagement efforts  

  • Began data collection to better understand food insecurity in our community – focus groups, surveys, maps (CU School of Public Health, City of Golden Gallup Healthways Survey), Jeffco Public Health) 

  • Helped with the GoFarm Golden Community Harvest Dinner to begin building support for a local economy food system – attendees included farmers/producers, residents, City of Golden staff, CO School of Mines, HFG partners

  • Began discussions with City of Golden, GoFarm, and other key community stakeholders to designate and put into use more land for food production

2016

  • Worked with the City of Golden and Planning Commission to introduce/modify land use policies to promote, expand, and protect potential and existing sites for food production and distribution/sales, (home and community gardens, farm stands, community supported agriculture, farmers’ markets)

  • Supported the efforts of the Golden Backpack Program, GoFarm, and Golden area schools that link procurement of affordable, healthy food with improving skills in purchasing and preparation (developed a pilot program,  with the Golden High School Culinary Program)

  • Increased access to fresh produce for SNAP recipients – EBT presence at the Golden Farmer’s Market and through GoFarm CSA shares

  • Made our first annual presentation to the Golden City Council about our efforts and accomplishments

  • Applied and received a Citizen’s Assistance Grant for the implementation of a community-based educational program on the preparation of fresh, healthy food

2017

  • Worked to increase distribution of fresh fruits and vegetable to school-aged children (Golden Backpack Program)

  • Offered educational opportunities on procurement and preparation of fresh, healthy food (GoFarm cooking demonstrations, “Food Power” class for residents)

  • Worked with Jeffco Food Policy Council to implement local strategies for increasing enrollment in and use of SNAP and WIC benefits 

  • Began implementation of the pilot Healthy Corner Store Initiative at the East Tin Cup Market in South Golden to increase access to fresh and healthy food

2018

  • Worked to increase the distribution of fresh produce to all age groups in the Golden community

  • Offered educational opportunities on procurement and preparation of fresh and healthy food

  • Began working on a comprehensive community food assessment

  • Engaged in data collection, surveys, mapping for the food assessment (metrics from HFG partners, Golden Food Assessment Survey, Jeffco Public Health and Five Points Geoplanning LLC, Colorado School of Mines Human Design class)

  • Hosted a Community Conversation on hunger and food access in Golden

  • Worked with Hunger Free Colorado and Jeffco Public Health on increasing enrollment in and use of SNAP and WIC benefits

  • Applied for and was awarded a Jeffco Public Health Quick wins Grant for signage and equipment to support the implementation of the Healthy Corner Store Initiative

  • Increased awareness in the community about our local food system

2019

  • Received funding from the Golden Rotary Club to hire an independent consultant to write a write a comprehensive food assessment report for Golden based on the previously collected data to:
          1.  Better understand the barriers to food access in Golden
          2.  Identify the resources and opportunities that exist to provide affordable and accessible healthy food
    to the Golden community
          3.  Identify potential solutions for reducing hunger and food insecurity

  • Completed and began distribution of the Golden Community Food Assessment Report

  • Made a presentation to the Golden City Council on the findings of report

  • Continued efforts to increase distribution of fresh produce in the community

  • Offered cooking demonstrations through GoFarm and on the CO School of Mines campus

  • Continued efforts to increase enrollment in and use of SNAP and WIC benefits

  • Began work on our Strategic Roadmap and Strategic Plan

2020

  • Held a Community Conversation to gather feedback and input on our Strategic Roadmap and Plan

  • Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, developed a COVID-19 Response Plan to address the increased food-related needs of Golden community members

  • Worked with Centura Health to implement a referral system (via phone) for SNAP applications

  • Received funding for a proposal submitted to the City of Golden to pilot the Golden Food Pantry Assistance Grant 

2021

  • Merged the HFG Strategic Plan and the COVID-19 Food Response Plan

  • Began implementation of the Golden Food Pantry Assistance Grant pilot which aims to create a more robust, fair, and equitable food system in Golden by:
    1.    Supporting a healthy, local farm economy in Golden, Jefferson County, and CO
    2.   Developing relationships that create new market channels between local farmers/producers and local
    pantries (BGoldN Fresh Food Pantry, CAG, Calvary Food Shelf)
    3.   Enhancing nutrition security for those accessing local pantries by increasing the availability of fresh, culturally
    relevant, high quality food

  • Received the 2020 Public Health Champion Award from Jeffco Public Health

  • Continued efforts with the City of Golden on designating land for local food production

  • Awarded the Jeffco Food System: From Emergency Response to Recovery grant funded by Jefferson County Public Health

2022

  • Hunger Free Golden is funded by the City of Golden in the 2022 Budget to support:

1. The 2022 Golden Food Pantry Assistance Grant

2. Additional funding for Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) Program at the
Golden Farmers’ Market and GoFarm

  • Began work with consultants from Aging-Dynamics, Inc. on the implementation of
    the From Emergency Response to Recovery Grant. Initial focus is on:

    1. Assessing and strengthening the organizational capacity of HFG

    2. Community engagement through focus groups and interviews of those
    with lived/living experience of food insecurity

    3. Planning for a larger Community Conversation to be held in 2023

  • Did a presentation to the Golden City Council in November to provide an updates on our efforts and future direction, as well as request funding in the 2023 budget.

2023

  1. Received approval from the City of Golden for funding in the 2023 budget. Monies allocated will support:
    1. Golden Food Pantry Assistance Grant
    2. Food-related educational opportunities
    3. Expanded sites for the Golden Mobile Market
    4. Formation of a Community Advisory Council
    5. Increased access to local farmers/producers

  2. Continued implementation of the Jeffco Food System: From Emergency Response to Recovery grant funded by Jefferson County Public Health; received a Food In Communities grant from Jefferson County Public Health to host a community conversation in January to gain feedback and input on what was learned from the community member interviews and focus groups conducted in 2022. Conversation focused on how to improve food access, reduce stigma, increase mobile food options, and improve transportation options for accessing food. Ideas and feedback will be used to develop the strategic plan.

  3. Completed the strategic planning process.

  4. Began implementation of the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, which identifies five strategic focus areas and 20 action steps. Each strategy and action step reflects the collective input from community stakeholders and HFG members and all are designed to be realistic and able to be implemented. This plan is community based and community informed and the intention is that the implementation over the next several years will be as well. The five strategic focus areas are:

    1. Ending the Stigma Related to Food Insecurity

    2. Making Food Accessible and Affordable

    3. Make Sure Food Being Provided Through Pantries is Preferable and Convenient

    4. Strengthen the HFG Collaborative

    5. Expand Local Food Production

  5. Hired a Community Food Navigator

  6. Began formation of the Community Advisory Council

2024

  • Received approval from the City of Golden for funding in the 2024 budget. Monies allocated will support:
    1. Golden Food Pantry Assistance Grant
    2. Food-related educational opportunities
    3. Local pantry operations and infrastructure needs
    4. Community engagement efforts
    5. Increased access to local farmers/producers

  • Continued with implementation of the 2023-2028 HFG Strategic Plan

  • Formed the Hunger Free Golden Community Advisory Council

  • Recipient of the GoFarm Community Impact Award

  • Received a grant from the Golden Civic Foundation to hire a marketing consultant; deliverables completed, including the results of a community engagement survey, development of a new HFG information flyer, a website refresh and recommendations for informing the community of our efforts

  • Received a Food Security Grant from the 2024 Colorado Gives Foundation: to support community engagement efforts