Policy is moving quickly in the midst of state legislative session! Even between drafting and sharing our most recent Nourish Spring newsletter, policy updates have changed. You can find the latest information and corrections to the policy section of the March newsletter here.   State Legislative Updates – Healthy Food Incentive Fund  The Healthy Food Incentives Program bill has now been introduced as a Joint Budget Committee (JBC) orbital bill (HB24-1416) and has already passed second reading in the House of Representatives chamber. Next, the bill has to make it through the third re ..read more

Dear partners,    As Thanksgiving approaches—a time evoking mixed sentiments—we embrace the stillness and quiet moments as a chance to slow down, learn, and reflect. This week we re-examine our perspectives and practices around Thanksgiving and its complexities by delving into readings—here, here, and here—written on the origins of this day in this nation to deepen our understanding.     This is also a time for us to express gratitude for our partners and work together. We appreciate you and continually learn from and are challenged by your work. We ho ..read more

Denver — U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the Farmers’ Market and Food Bank Local Revitalization Act to support local farmers and increase access to affordable and healthy food options for seniors, families, and young children. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Dwight Evans (D-Pa.). “Americans should have access to fresh, healthy, and locally-produced foods – and Congress can do much more to support family farmers who can deliver these opt ..read more

Español abajo Nourish Colorado’s Double Up Food Bucks Team needs you to declare your support for produce incentives and SNAP in the next farm bill. We have three ways for you to do this—via social media, by signing a letter to legislators, and by forwarding this email to others. 1. Via Social Media (let’s make produce incentives go viral!):     Watch our 3-minute instruction video Help Produce Access “Go Viral”: here’s how!     Record a very short (less than ten second) video of yourself declaring “I’m Pro Produce!” and/or “Estoy ..read more

By Caitlin Stuart, Nourish Colorado Community Engagement and Navigator Manager and Member of the Nourish Colorado SoPL team Our team, Nourish Colorado, joined HEAL’s School of Political Leadership (SoPL) as four women from vastly different backgrounds passionate about food justice and access on the Healthy Food Incentives team at our work, also called Nourish Colorado. As a brand new team closing in on our first anniversary of working together, we welcomed an opportunity like SoPL to help us develop a strategic campaign, bring us closer together, and help us feel out our vibe as team ..read more

Welcome to the season of rebirth and the springing up of new life! Once again, we are so blessed to be entering a new season alongside all of you, our partners! We know many of you are entering a very busy season – planting, opening up seasonal markets, and entering into contracts with farmers who will help feed your students next school year! It is a full time of year for us as well, so read on below about the 2023 Double Up and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program season, expanding local foods in schools, and more!  Winter was a productive time for us in different ways. We have spen ..read more

The Food Accessibility bill, HB23-1008, is one of the many exciting food system policy endeavors introduced in the 2023 Colorado State Legislative Session. This bill, introduced by Representative Mike Weissman and Senator Rhonda Fields, is based on enhancing and supporting the Community Food Access Program created last legislative session in HB22-1380, the Critical Services for Low-income Households Act. The Critical Services for Low-income Households Act created the Community Food Access Consortium and the Small Business Recovery and Resilience Grant Program; both the consortium and the gran ..read more

By Jesse Hulling, Nourish Colorado Project Specialist   Nourish Colorado kicked off 2023 with a fly-in to Washington D.C. Our team has now returned from an invigorating and impactful week. As many of you who are aligned and familiar with our work know, we advocate for systemic changes in the Colorado food system. This translates into strategic partnerships and work with policy leaders, state and federal legislators, statewide coalitions, and national associations like the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and others. We were thrilled to travel to the nation’s capital ..read more

Welcome to Winter, partners and friends!  We hope that every one of you will be able to take a break and find some moments of tranquility over the coming weeks. Looking back on 2022, we are filled with joy, awe, and a bit of exhaustion, but so much gratitude to be able to do what we do and to do it with you. Please read on to hear more specific updates and celebrations from across our project and policy work throughout 2022 and what we have planned for the year ahead.  –The Nourish Team HEALTHY FOOD INCENTIVES Double Up Food Bucks Double Up Food Bucks woul ..read more

There were many wins for food systems in 2022, and some changes in our state and federal government that will impact our work moving forward. For an overview of 2022 November state and federal election results please read this summary from our lobbyists. Please note that since this was published, a mandatory recount confirmed Lauren Boebert as the winner in the federal Congressional District 3 race.  The Colorado State Legislature recently announced House and Senate committee assignments, available here. The federal committees have not yet been finalized.   During the 2022 stat ..read more