Denver proposes nearly $3.5 million in five child food-access grants

Denver is proposing nearly $3.5 million in five Healthy Food for Denver’s Kids grants for food access, nutrition education and early-childhood programs serving children and families.

The two newest proposals are $745,706.36 for SustainEd Farms and $718,086.62 for Slow Food Denver. Both would run from Aug. 1, 2026, through July 31, 2029, and serve youth citywide. The Denver Health and Safety Committee agenda schedules them as consent items for its Oct. 14 meeting; the agenda does not establish approval.

The SustainEd Farms proposal would expand hands-on food and nutrition education, food access and family engagement at additional schools. Denver Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services and ViVe Wellness are named as partners and subcontractors. The Slow Food Denver proposal would support its Seed to Plate program, offering cooking and gardening lessons for youth facing food insecurity. Denver Public Schools Extended Learning and Community Schools is listed as a subcontractor.

The three earlier proposals total about $2.04 million:

• $548,378.61 for Sun Valley Community Center: The proposal would expand the Sun Valley Urban Farm and Farm to Fingers program in City Council districts 1, 3 and 7, with food distribution, local food production, farm-based education and workforce development. Denver Botanic Gardens and Denver Food Rescue are named as partners.
• $738,087.77 for Struggle of Love Foundation: The proposed agreement would serve young people 18 and younger and their families in District 11, expanding food access, helping families enroll in nutrition and school-meal programs, and providing food education. Listed partners include Steps To Success Game Changers, Children’s Farms of America and the Montbello Organizing Committee.
• Nearly $750,000 for the Regents of the University of Colorado: The grant materials describe a citywide program combining early-childhood nutrition education and food-access services through Denver Great Kids Head Start and four Denver Public Schools early-childhood hubs serving families experiencing poverty. Three hubs also include kindergarten classrooms.

Together, the five proposals would support food distribution and production, nutrition-program enrollment and food education across Denver. The proposals are requests for funding; they do not establish that the agreements have been approved, paid or implemented.