Healthy food is a right, not a privilege. This is the guiding principle of Globeville and Elyria-Swansea (G.E.S.) serving nonprofit, The GrowHaus. The G.E.S. neighborhoods of Denver represent one of the largest concentrations of food deserts in the city, meaning that roughly 1/3 of residents must travel over a mile to the nearest grocery store. The GrowHaus works to establish “food justice” through grassroots educational programs and access to nutritious foods to community members in the area.
This community-driven organization provides the residents of G.E.S. with access to affordable and healthy food options through their online market and weekly no-cost grocery programs which has expanded into a rapid response emergency food program because of the increased need for emergency food during the COVID-19 lockdown.
A historical destination for immigrants and refugees, the G.E.S. neighborhoods have some of the highest percentage of Latinx residents in the city. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic worsened food insecurity of the Latinx community, emphasizing the importance of the work being done at The GrowHaus. After a community needs assessment at the start of the pandemic, The GrowHaus reported that 76% of households saw a decrease in their income and 86% were concerned about their ability to provide food for their families. This information led to the creation of the Rapid Response Emergency Food Distribution program which has continued to provide food to over 550 families weekly over the course of the pandemic.
The GrowHaus works closely with other Denver-based nonprofits whose mission is to reduce waste and provide food to community members. Partners include Denver Food Rescue, We Don’t Waste, and Bondadosa. Denver Food Rescue and We Don’t Waste partner with grocery stores, farmers markets, and other food purveyors to redistribute excess. In 2020 alone, The GrowHaus’ partnership with Denver Food Rescue fed over 19,000 individuals, saved over 48,000,000 gallons of water, and prevented 91,000 kg of CO2 from entering a landfill. Bondadosa is the delivery partner that makes the weekly emergency food packages and Food Box deliveries possible.
Educational programming works to instill knowledge of wellness and nutrition into the youth of the community. This includes both after-school and summer programming as well as at-home learning kits in response to COVID-19. Adult educational programs are led by their Promotora team, translated from Spanish meaning “community health workers,” made up of community volunteers. Some of last month’s programming included an event focusing on harvesting seasonal produce as well as distribution and education on air filters, a huge need for the community.
Supporting GrowHaus
The Food Box program was created in 2014 as a subscription grocery service to connect Denver residents with high quality and nutritious foods. Funding from the Food Box program supports their no-cost and subsidized pricing for supplies and educational resources. While the original service operated out of The GrowHaus’ brick and mortar retail location, the team has transitioned online after structural issues forced them to shut their doors indefinitely. The Food Box program gives you the opportunity to choose the box that best fits your need with a selection of organic, artisanal, and local products to be delivered right to your door.
While The GrowHaus is not accepting volunteers at this time, there are many other ways to support their work while social distancing. Join También, a monthly giving program that has become pivotal in ensuring programming and resources for the community. The donations through También have provided over 25,000 of free emergency food packaged through the Emergency Food Distribution Program. The team at The GrowHaus hopes to open volunteering opportunities back up as soon as its safe to do so.
The GrowHaus is located at 3840 York Street, Ste. 245, Denver and online at www.thegrowhaus.org
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