Project Grant 00I43400

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO DENVER URBAN GARDENS. THE RECIPIENT WILL PROVIDE ACCESS, SKILLS, AND RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE TO GROW HEALTHY FOOD IN THE COMMUNITY AND REGENERATE URBAN GREEN SPACES. DUG IS PROPOSING TO PROVIDE THE DIG DEEPER INITIATIVE (DDI) IN TARGETED WEST DENVER NEIGHBORHOODS TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES AND ACHIEVE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO 1) DECREASE URBAN HEAT ISLAND IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH SOME OF THE CITY'S LOWEST TREE EQUITY SCORES THROUGH THE DUG FOOD FOREST INITIATIVE WHICH BRINGS FRUIT BEARING TREES AND PERENNIALS TO EXISTING COMMUNITY GARDENS, NEW GARDENS, VACANT LOTS, PARK SPACE, AND COMMUNITY PARTNER SPACE; 2) INCREASE CARBON SEQUESTRATION CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY GARDENS AND OTHER GREENSPACES WITHIN THE TARGETED NEIGHBORHOODS TO IMPROVE OVERALL AIR QUALITY; 3) DECREASE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE TARGETED AREA BY INCREASING LOCAL FOOD OPTIONS, THEREBY DECREASING FOOD MILES REQUIRED FOR RESIDENTS TO OBTAIN FRESH, HEALTHY FOODS. 4) WATER BENEFITS WHICH ARE ESPECIALLY CRITICAL IN DENVER'S HIGH DESERT CLIMATE - COMMUNITY GARDENS AND FOOD FORESTS USE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS WATER THAN TURF AND PROVIDE GREATER WATER RETENTION IN HEALTHY SOIL. PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFITS OF THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT RESIDENTS OF THE SIX NEIGHBORHOODS INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT. ACCORDING TO THE EPA'S EJ-SCREEN, MORE THAN 60% OF RESIDENTS IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS IDENTIFY AS BLACK, INDIGENOUS, OR A PERSON OF COLOR (BIPOC), AND MORE THAN 70% OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE LOW AND/OR LIMITED INCOMES. FOR RESIDENTS WHO ENGAGE WITH GARDENS AND FOOD FORESTS, EXPECTED BENEFITS INCLUDE 1) INCREASE PHYSICAL HEALTH INDICATORS INCLUDING: AMOUNT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES CONSUMED, LEVELS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND AMOUNT OF FIBER CONSUMED; 2) INCREASE MENTAL HEALTH INDICATORS INCLUDING LEVELS OF SELF-REPORTED FEELINGS OF HAPPINESS, CONNECTION AND WELLBEING, AND REDUCTION IN STRESS, DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY; 3) INCREASE ACCESS TO FRESH, HEALTHY, LOCAL, SEASONAL FOOD; AND 4) INCREASE RESIDENT LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY CAPACITY, AND CONNECTEDNESS TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF FOOD ACCESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SUPPORTING THE CULTIVATION OF OVER THIRTY-FOUR ACRES OF URBAN LAND INCLUDING SITES IN SIX OF THE SEVEN COUNTIES WITHIN THE DENVER METRO AREA. WITHIN ITS NETWORK, DUG GARDENERS GROW OVER 650,000 POUNDS OF PRODUCE EVERY YEAR, WITH 10% OR 65,000 POUNDS OF THIS YIELD BEING DONATED THROUGH FOOD PANTRIES AND OTHER FOOD SECURITY FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH DUG'S SIGNATURE COMMUNITY GARDEN PROGRAM, DUG MANAGES THE LAND USE AGREEMENT WITH THE LAND HOLDERS (IN A FEW CASES DUG OWNS THE LAND OUTRIGHT), WHILE PROVIDING THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTS THAT ENSURE THAT GARDENS AND GARDENERS CAN THRIVE AND PRODUCE OPTIMAL YIELDS OF FRESH LOCAL FOODS WHILE STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY. DUG IS INCORPORATING FRUIT TREES AND OTHER EDIBLE PERENNIALS INTO ITS CURRENT GARDEN LANDSCAPES TO PROVIDE A GREATER RANGE OF FOOD ACCESS AS WELL AS TREE CANOPY THAT SUPPORTS THE DIVERSITY OF VEGETATION IN THE AREA WHILE SEQUESTERING CARBON AND DECREASING THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT. FOR THE DDI, DUG WILL RECRUIT GLP MEMBERS WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF THE TARGETED NEIGHBORHOODS, ENSURING THAT THERE IS RESIDENT REPRESENTATION IN THE PROGRAM WHILE PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RE-SKILLING OR UP-SKILLING TO ENGAGE IN DIFFERENT FIELDS OF WORK TO ADDRESS LIMITED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AREA. COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL GARDENS KEY ACTIVITIES: - WORK WITH THE DDI COMMUNITY COUNCIL TO DETERMINE WHERE NEW GARDENS SHOULD BE PLANNED AND BUILT IN THE TARGETED NEIGHBORHOODS. - BUILD AT LEAST TWO COMMUNITY/SCHOOL GARDENS IN TARGETED WEST AREA NEIGHBORHOODS EACH YEAR WITHIN THE PROJECT PERIOD. - WORK WITH EACH ANNUAL COHORT OF DUG CORPS MEMBERS TO IDENTIFY MOST PRESSING PROJECT