PROJECT TEAMS

Project teams serve as the operational backbone of the Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger — translating ideas from our collective spaces into actionable initiatives that align with our four commitments and are monitored for their impact on Colorado communities. They bridge the gap between policy recommendations and tangible outcomes, driving real-world change in our collaborative efforts to end hunger.

Are you interested in joining one of our project teams? As part of our commitment to equity, all Blueprint meetings are hosted in both English and Spanish, and closed captioning is offered. Compensation is also available to anyone who voluntarily participates and is not representing an organization as a paid employee. View the Blueprint’s stipend guide to learn more. All new members must attend an orientation prior to officially joining.

Find out more about our currently active and time-limited project teams below (in alphabetical order):

Community Events

• Goal: Connecting with community and creating welcoming and inclusive spaces focused on increasing food access and advancing food justice in communities across Colorado; after the pilot event, craft a best practices guide for local groups to use when hosting in-person and virtual opportunities to better engage with community

• Team Lead: Andrea Fuller, community member

• Staff Liaison: Michelle Ray, Visibility Director

• Meetings: Currently monthly but not on a recurring schedule — contact the staff liaison to find out when the next meeting is planned.

• Participation: Welcoming a limited number of new project team members; contact the staff liaison to learn more, participate in the required orientation, and access the calendar invitations.

• Updates:

  • In the process of planning a community-focused event with the Western Slope Native American Resource Center during the fall of 2024

Farm Equity Coalition

• Goal: Convene a coalition driven by local female farmers and farmers of color to help create a legislative strategy for the creation of a Farm Equity Office in Colorado.

• Team leads: Shannon Francis of Spirit of the Sun; Lucia Trejo, a promotora in North Eastern Colorado

• Staff liaison: Joël McClurg, Executive Director of Integration

• Meetings: Second Friday of each month from 10 - 11 a.m.

• Participation: Open to new members but only farmers and farm organizations, especially female farmers, farmers of color, and LGBTQIA2+ farmers; contact the staff liaison to learn more, participate in the required orientation, and access the calendar invitations.

• Updates:

  • Supported the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) in a state budget request for additional positions in their workforce development unit to focus on farm equity.

  • This summer, the coalition will work with CDA to include community stakeholders in the application review and candidate selection process. They’ll also provide technical assistance to interested applicants who represent farmers from historically under-resourced communities.

Connecting Food & Health in Colorado

• Goal: Building a diverse, cross-sector coalition, alongside partners and advocates across the state, to organize around policy and implementation opportunities that link food access to health outcomes in Colorado

• Team Lead: Samantha Fields, community expert

• Staff Liaison: Greta Allen, Policy Director

• Meetings: Fourth Monday of every month from 10 a.m. - 12 noon on Zoom

• Participation: Open to new project team members; contact the staff liaison to learn more, participate in the required orientation, and access the calendar invitations.

• Updates:

  • Monitoring rollout of Accountable Care Collaborative Phase III

  • Building connections between Medicaid members, their Regional Accountable Entities, and the services provided.

  • Providing education, updates, and advocacy opportunities around Colorado’s 1115 Waiver Amendment for Health-related Social Needs

Food Access for the Unhoused

• Goal: Research and elevate ways that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can be more accessible for those in Colorado who are older adults, unhoused, transitioning into housing, or facing instability in their housing.

• Team Lead: Julie Hall of GraceFull Foundation and Community Cafe

• Staff Liaison: Greta Allen, Policy Director

• Meetings: Fourth Thursday of every month from 12 - 1 p.m. on Zoom

• Participation: Open to new project team members; contact the staff liaison to learn more, participate in the required orientation, and access the calendar invitations.

• Updates:

  • Working to launch a pilot with partner organizations for providing food-vendor meals where unhoused neighbors are being sheltered

  • Advocating for the federal Restaurant Meals Program in Colorado

Healthy School Meals for All Microgrants

• Goal: Launch a statewide marketing and outreach campaign to support the successful implementation of Healthy School Meals for All in Colorado public schools, including a microgrant initiative for community-based organizations to lead local marketing and outreach efforts. The campaign broadly focuses on the following:

  • Promote the benefits of the new program;

  • Help ensure students in participating schools can access no-cost breakfasts and lunches;

  • Encourage family completion of school benefit forms; and

  • Help fill position vacancies in school dining rooms

• Staff Liaison: Justice Onwordi, Impact Director

• Meetings:  Ranges from monthly to quarterly (depending upon what’s happening and micro-grantee needs)

• Participation: Not open to new members

• Updates:

  • The statewide marketing and outreach campaign publicly launched in January 2024. As part of the campaign efforts, 40 community-based organizations received microgrants. 

  • Due to the program’s funding shortfall, the Blueprint, campaign steering committee, and other partners are exploring state- and federal-level action to find sustainable funding solutions for Healthy School Meals for All that Colorado families, schools, and producers can rely upon every school year.

  • Given this situation, the campaign shifted its focus in the spring of 2024 to prioritize encouraging families to complete their school’s benefits form, which directly impacts school funding and can help cover program costs.

Liderazgo Comunitario (Community Leadership)

• Goal: Support community leaders and community-led initiatives that are already advancing food access and justice within their towns, counties, and/or neighborhoods

• Team leads: Ivon Romo of MIEL Language and Barbarita San Pedro of SANA

• Staff Liaison: Dolores Ramriez, Executive Director of Vision

• Meetings: When needed — contact the staff liaison to find out when the next meeting is scheduled

• Participation: Open to new project team members; contact the staff liaison to learn more, participate in the required orientation, and access the calendar invitations.

• Updates:

  • Wrapped up a monthly workshop series on topics identified by community leaders as of May 2024

  • Currently in the process of planning a BIPOC-led summit

Microfunding to Increase Healthy Food Access

• Goal: Develop and implement a microgrants initiative to support small, grassroots organizations in expanding local, healthy food access within their communities

• Team Lead: Erika Righter of Hope Tank

• Staff Liaison: Dolores Ramriez, Executive Director of Vision

• Meetings: As needed — contact the staff liaison to find out when the next meeting is planned.

• Participation: Open to new project team members; contact the staff liaison to learn more, participate in the required orientation, and access the calendar invitations.

• Updates:

  • Launched a new microgrant initiative in 2023, awarding $30,000 to community members and grassroots organizations during its first round of funding

  • With support from the Colorado Community Health Alliance, they pledged a total of $24,000 for the second round of funding in 2024. Eight grassroots projects received $3,000 microgrants. Meet our new microgrant partners.

  • Upcoming: Development of an assessment to gather feedback from micro-grantees related to the application process and opportunities for increased accessibility

SNAP & WIC Retailers

• Goal: Provide technical assistance to small grocers and retailers seeking certification for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC), and/or Double Up Food Bucks

• Team Leads: Maria Judith Alvarez of SANA and Jennifer Gueddiche

• Staff Liaison: Dolores Ramriez, Executive Director of Vision

• Meetings: Second Monday of the month from 1 - 2 p.m. via Zoom

• Participation: Open to new project team members; contact the staff liaison to learn more, participate in the required orientation, and access the calendar invitations.

• Updates:

  • Piloting four strategies to support small grocers and retailers in their efforts to expand healthy food offerings, including technical assistance to support those seeking to become certified in accepting SNAP benefits

  • This includes creating a toolkit to demystify and simplify the retailer application process, as well as planning to host a webinar on the toolkit.