Mission
The La Plata Food Equity Coalition
is enhancing health equity
for La Plata County
BIPOC, Senior, and Rural Residents
through healthy food
access and shared
community leadership
Vision
All residents in La Plata County
will have agency over their health, access to nutritious
foods, and the ability
to affect social change
The Coalition's story
Did you know that 11% of residents in La Plata County experience food insecurity? That means that nearly one in ten of your neighbors does not have access to the food that they need to support their health and well-being. The problem is even more concentrated within our BIPOC, Senior, and rural residents. The La Plata Food Equity Coalition formed back in February 2020 to really begin to explore how we as a county community can ensure that everyone has equal opportunity for health, or health equity, vis a vis access to healthy food. As part of an equity approach, our efforts are focused on addressing the needs and building the power of those residents and communities most chronically and deeply impacted by food insecurity and health inequities through deep partnership and empowerment of these individuals and communities.
The La Plata Food Equity Coalition is enhancing health equity for and with local BIPOC, senior, and rural residents through healthy food access and shared community leadership. We are composed of individual community members, community groups, organizations, agencies and institutions who are committed to collaborative leadership and centering lived experience. Our work is focused on systems change, with an emphasis on shifting mental models, power dynamics, relationships & networks, policies, practices, and resource flows.
We Asked:
What would it take to have access to food that would support your wellbeing?
We Heard:
Financial security, Agency, Sense of Belonging, Knowledge & Resources, Representation, Language Access
That's how we determined what to work on.
Our workgroups formed in direct response to these expressed needs. They're tasked with making change in the food system through the following areas:
our Projects
Voces De Comunidad
(Community Voices)
Cuidado Infantil
(Childcare)
Language Justice
Our website is under construction, stay tuned for more info about our projects!
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement
The La Plata County Food Equity Coalition cultivates spaces for underrepresented communities to gain power and create meaningful solutions to food inequity. The coalition recognizes the systemic oppressions and inequities that face these communities in La Plata County. We strive to break down these barriers through understanding differences to build power, confidence, and leadership within Indigenous, Black, LatinX, Disabled, Senior, and geographically isolated communities.