Re:Write
STORIES FROM THE FIELD, PROMOTORA RECIPES, AND CO-OP DEVELOPMENT LESSONS (PLUS SOME POLITICS AND HUMOR, TOO)
Re:Vision's 7th Birthday & A Big Announcement!
Wow, how time flies! Today we celebrate our 7th birthday AND a $1.2M grant! We are one step closer bringing the Westwood Food Cooperative to fruition, and we couldn't have done it without YOU.
Seven years ago, I sat in my favorite coffee shop (Kaladi Bros near DU), highly caffeinated but perhaps more jittery by the excitement of the moment. My college friend, Joseph Teipel, and I were signing the paperwork to incorporate Revision International with the state of Colorado.
We were young - I was 25 and Joseph only 21 - and we had no business starting, well, a business. Coming out of college we both wanted our life's work to make a difference in the world.
But how?
Not seeing an organization that we wanted to work for, and not wanting to accept another unpaid internship, we did the logical thing - we started a nonprofit that represented our ideals and we set out to conquer the world! Failure seemed almost inevitable as we had no money and no idea of how to run an organization. However, both of us embraced that we would make mistakes along the way. If we failed, we’d at least gain some valuable experience, right?
Today I am pinching myself at the realization that it is our 7th birthday - what an incredible experience it has been!
What began as a dream and an aspiration to create a new model of community development has slowly become a reality. Looking forward we see that we have a long way to go. But looking backwards at how far we’ve come, I am proud yet humbled by the journey.
It is with great excitement that today, on Re:Vision’s 7th birthday, we officially announce our biggest news to date - the City of Denver’s Office of Economic Development has awarded Re:Vision a $1.2M grant to acquire property for the future home of the Westwood Food Cooperative!
The Westwood Food Cooperative, located on Morrison Road, will be the first food cooperative in the country that vertically integrates low-income, urban food producers with value-added food processing and a retail food outlet. This community wealth building approach is truly unique as it creates a for-profit business, owned by the people growing the food, and then shares profits with the community it serves. Read more about it here.
Future site of the Westwood Food Cooperative Grocery Store, Food Hub & Commercial Kitchen
You may have also recently noted our new logo. Earlier this year we went through a rebranding to emphasize the place-based community work of our organization. We decided to part ways with the International aspect (really it was in name only) and dig our roots deep into the Westwood and southwest Denver communities. Our new brand represents our evolution and maturation as an organization, reinforcing a bold vision on the horizon that is rooted in the most humbling element of all, the soil.
Over seven years we’ve have had many successes but also many failures too. At the end of the day, we are slowly making strides to turn around one of Denver’s most underserved communities and transform it into a model of health, self-sufficiency and resiliency.
Having been embedded in every step on this journey over the past seven years, I sometimes find myself looking down at my feet on the trail instead of looking up and appreciating the scenery. Today is a good reminder to be thankful of all the people that have helped Re:Vision along the way - donors, volunteers, friends, mentors, supporters, community members, board members, staff, interns, partners, even those people with whom we’ve had disagreements. It’s also a good reminder to stop once in awhile and celebrate.
Cheers!
Eric Kornacki, Executive Director and Co-Founder
Zip Code Blues
While many people are turning to genetics to learn more about their health and propensity for disease, a growing field of study shows that your zip code is equally - if not more - important.
Does where you live determine how long you will live? There’s no doubt about it. Research by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and more locally, from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) confirm that yes - the life expectancy of one county or zip code to the next can differ by years, or even decades. For instance, life expectancy in Denver County is 5 years less than the Colorado average. Disparities among Denver neighborhoods are even more shocking - here in Westwood and surrounding neighborhoods, for example, people live on average 12 fewer years than the Denver average of 75 years.
This concept has been the topic of discussion in many public health forums recently. From op eds in the Denver Post by Colorado Health Foundation president and CEO Ann Warhover, to a presentation by The California Endowment’s Dr. Iton at a Health Equity Learning Series event sponsored by The Colorado Trust, public health experts are actively examining why this unsettling trend is occurring and what to do about it. (If you are into slam poetry, you might prefer to listen to Clint Smith’s chilling description of life expectancy in his own Washington, DC zip code.)
The fact is, policies and politics shape neighborhood resources. Your neighborhood may have plentiful resources – a variety of homes that people can afford, good schools, parks, safe streets and grocery stores. In places where policies and politics don’t benefit the community, sometimes just a few blocks away, neighborhood amenities are sparse, inadequate and substandard. Per Dr. Iton’s argument, living with few resources causes a cycle of unsafe or undesirable living conditions, stress, poor lifestyle choices, and chronic disease - ultimately resulting in early death.
In partnership with organizations like The Colorado Health Foundation and LiveWell Westwood, Re:Vision has been helping residents in food desert neighborhoods of Southwest Denver work to solve their “zip code blues” by inspiring residents to take the lead in advocating for their community’s health and by teaching families how to grow their own food. As a result of our Re:Farm program, thousands of low-income Denver residents have improved their access to healthy foods as well as their relationship with food. Re:Farm participants claim that they not only eat healthier, but also, overall, feel better about their futures.
This past spring, Re:Vision became one of The Colorado Trust’s 34 Health Equity Advocacy grant recipients. We have spent the summer convening regularly with the Trust and other grantees to discuss this very zip code issue, and how we might build a stronger collective “field” of health equity advocates to better shape public policies that support healthier communities. Re:Vision is proud to work with the diverse organizations at the table to help promote the Colorado Trust’s mission of advancing the health and well-being of the people of Colorado. Stay tuned for additional posts related to Health Equity Advocacy as we advance through this process. We hope to share the wisdom we have gained and keep the discussion flowing...
100 New Friends in Celebration of Spring
This spring, become a Friend of Re:Vision and help provide critical year-round support for our vital programs. Your gift will be matched 100% up to $10,000. Plus, all new donors will be entered to win a GoPro3 Camera!
In many cultures worldwide, springtime traditions and festivals (e.g. Easter, Passover, India’s Festival of Colors, even Chinese New Year) are rooted in agrarian societies’ celebrations surrounding a new growing season. For urban farmers and backyard gardeners, each May begins a new year – a joyous time of digging, compost, dirt under fingernails, planting seedlings, and most of all hope. Hope that each new sprout poking through the soil will turn into something yummy, beautiful and nutritious.
Friends of Re:Vision are our monthly supporters. They are the lifeblood of our organization, because they provide us with dependable year-round support for our vital programming. Becoming a Friend of Re:Vision is easy – simply make a monthly contribution of $10 or more.
This May we have set a goal of attracting 100 new Friends of Re:Vision. And now - the top five reasons why you should help us meet this goal.
NUMBER FIVE. Denver, like many American urban cities, suffers from major health disparities - most notably in poor communities and communities of color. Your gift will support Re:Farm Denver, Re:Vision’s flagship program, that teaches low-income families how to grow their own food. With your gift, you will expose thousands of people in marginalized neighborhoods to the many benefits of eating healthy, community- grown produce.
NUMBER FOUR. You care deeply about supporting the local economy, building a sustainable city with equitable opportunities for all its residents, and creating healthy neighborhoods. Join the many respected organizations that have done their research and chosen to support Re:Vision in these very efforts: the Colorado Health Foundation, The Denver Foundation, USDA, Slow Money, The Colorado Trust, the Anschutz Family Foundation, and more.
NUMBER THREE. Re:Vision recently helped community members incorporate the Westwood Food Cooperative (WFC) – Denver’s first community-owned food cooperative and one of the first in the nation that sources produce from small-scale urban farmers in low income neighborhoods. By supporting Re:Vision and the WFC, your gift puts healthy food on the plates and extra income in the pockets of the people who need it most.
NUMBER TWO. All Friends of Re:Vision as of June 1, 2014 will be entered to win a GoPro HERO3+ camera. And who doesn’t want a GoPro?
NUMBER ONE. Every dollar you commit to donating in May 2014 will be matched 100% by a generous gift from the Parmar Family and Ardas Family Medicine, up to $10,000!
Don’t miss out on this chance to double your donation and your impact on the community.
Don’t miss out on your chance to win a GoPro Camera!
Become a Friend of Re:Vision today!
300 Backyard Gardens Underway in SW Denver!
It's growing season! Re:Vision has signed up 300 families in SW Denver to participate in it's Re:Farm Denver program. This is up from 200 families in 2013!
Here’s to spring in Colorado – where a single day can include t-shirt temperatures, sunglasses, a blizzard and even thunder snow! In the midst of all the wacky weather, Re:Vision’s promotoras and other community members are hard at work starting the sixth growing season (6 years!!) of Re:Farm Denver’s backyard garden program in southwest Denver.
We’re excited to announce that 300 low-income families have signed up for backyard gardens through our program this year! We want to take a moment to thank the Colorado Health Foundation and the Roots and Branches Foundation (Rose Community) for their support of the Re:Farm program, allowing us to expand the number of families who can experience the many health and economic benefits of growing their own fresh produce in their backyards.
Promotor Christobal Rodriguez demonstrating how to plant peppers.
Like many low-income urban communities, Westwood residents have very few choices for healthy food. Our Re:Farm program teaches families how to grow food right in their backyard. However, we know that simply helping a family start a garden isn’t a guarantee that they will change their eating habits and/or improve their health. Access is important, but without education and motivation, nothing will change. That’s why our Re:Farm program pairs each family with a promotora who is trained in gardening and in health. We train and employ residents from the community and match them with their neighbors, thus building the leadership, knowledge base, and relationships that make each neighborhood healthier, self-sufficient, and more resilient!
Promotoras delivering compost to a family garden.
Promotoras have finished delivering organic bio-compost to each household garden, and are helping families rototill their yard, breaking up the tough Denver clay into healthy, lush soil. Now we’re keeping our eye on the forecast for sunny days on which we can begin planting seeds. And just a few weeks from now, promotoras will deliver seedlings from Re:Vision’s greenhouse and help families plant tomatoes, chilies, squash, melons, and other summer delights! Later in the summer when families are harvesting their hard-earned bounty, promotoras will help lead cooking classes and workshops in Re:Vision’s new educational kitchen!
Interested in getting involved? Help more families participate in Re:Farm by donating now, by purchasing a CSA share, or by taking advantage of Revision’s Dig it Forward custom veggie garden design and installation services.
Already have a garden? Make your annual garden dollars go further by getting all your seeds, plants, soil amendments, and custom drip irrigation needs met at our Re:Seedling sales!
Launch of the Westwood Food Cooperative!
Re:Vision is excited to announce the launch of Denver's first food cooperative, the Westwood Food Coopertive!
Over the past five years, Re:Vision’s Re:Farm Denver program has laid the groundwork for a strong community food system in southwest Denver – over 300 low-income families producing food in their yards, converting two vacant properties into highly productive urban farms, distributing countless tons of fresh, organically grown fruits and veggies, and offering numerous cooking and nutrition classes.
Today, we are extremely excited to announce a milestone that makes it a community-owned food system: the incorporation and launch of the Westwood Food Cooperative (WFC), the first food cooperative in Denver, and one of the first in the country to be owned and operated by residents of a low-income community. (Actually, there was a food co-op that opened in Denver in 1976 called the Common Market but it closed in 1980.)
What is a food cooperative? Food cooperatives typically offer healthy and natural foods, many starting as local buying clubs. However, rather than being owned by a large national retailer based in another state (as most Denver grocery stores are), a cooperative is owned by its members - the community of people who shop there and receive all of the benefits!
Big plans are underway for the WFC, with the vision of opening a community-owned grocery store and food hub in Westwood, a community where you cannot find healthy food. The WFC will allow residents to sell their surplus produce at the grocery store. Any resident of the community can become a member of the WFC, meaning that when you shop at the co-op, you might buy your neighbor’s produce, or see your neighbor working there. Members get to vote on substantial business members, elect their neighbors to serve on the board of directors, and at the end of the year, profits are distributed back to the members!
Additionally, the WFC aims to launch a commercial kitchen facility that will use produce grown in the neighborhood, and train people how to create value-added food products, like salsas, prepared meals and other items that can be sold through the retail store. Walking into the grocery store, you’re likely to see the shelves stocked with quality products created by local residents and sold under the co-op brand label!
Another business opportunity for the WFC is to operate a small food hub that aggregates, washes and processes, stores and packages, and distributes food grown by Re:Vision’s family farmers, as well as other local and regional farmers. The food hub will conveniently provide quality locally-grown food products to restaurants, schools, churches, and other institutions.
Community members electing representatives to serve on the board of directors.
Through the WFC, Re:Vision is showing what place-based economic models look like. This is a business that exists to serve the needs of a specific community, and therefore can never be uprooted and outsourced somewhere else. Several weeks ago, the community elected its first board of directors: two members from the backyard gardeners, promotoras, Somali Bantu, Re:Vision and one representative of the neighborhood coalition Westwood Unidos.
Want to get involved? We have several seedling sales this spring, along with CSA shares this summer. And stay tuned over the coming year as we’ll keep you updated the co-op acquires a site, launches a crowd-funding capital campaign, and begins offering membership!
Here's a great little video to inspire you to join this movement!
A Bun in the Oven: ReVision's Educational Community Kitchen
Construction is underway on Re:Vision's educational kitchen in Westwood. The kitchen will hold classes and workshops for families wanting to learn how to cook from their garden and to eat a healthier diet. Workshops on food preservation and starting a food-related business will also be offered!
Our "kitchen" space last year during canning season!
Two years ago, when Re:Vision leased an old restaurant building on Morrison Road as our office space, an idea started brewing in our minds - to transform the back storage room into a community kitchen.
As participation in Re:Vision’s backyard garden program grew, our Morrison Road offices have become a make-shift community center. Residents and partners visit regularly for meetings, trainings and community celebrations. Unfortunately, we’ve had to leave the neighborhood to teach people how to cook the food they’ve been growing in their gardens, as no commercial kitchen facilities exist in Westwood that are open for community use.
And all the while, the idea of building our own commercial kitchen kept simmering on the back burner.
The construction begins!
In late 2012, after stewing on this idea and discussing it with the community, a vision emerged. Community members asked for a place where they can gain cooking skills, knowledge about healthy eating, and of course, share food and recipes. Many want to learn how to cook healthy meals using fresh produce from their garden. And most importantly, they wanted a gathering place where local food culture can steep until its full flavors emerge, using the wisdom of the community as its foundation. Finally – the kitchen will be an incubator helping would-be entrepreneurs to get their food-based businesses off the ground and running.
A recipe had been formed. Then, in 2013, all the ingredients began coming together.
The exhaust hood provided by our landlord about to go up...
Several generous foundations, including the Sparkplug Foundation, the Jane Musser Fund, Westwood Unidos and the USDA, gave grants. Plans were drawn up, contractors were hired, and papers were filed with the building department. Then more papers. And more. Then waiting. And more waiting. Then finally, our plans were approved!
Today, we are excited to announce that work is underway! The exhaust hood and fan have been installed, electrical work is nearly complete, and the cabinetry and learning stations are just around the corner. Re:Vision’s Educational Community Kitchen is taking shape - you can almost smell it!
Stay tuned – we’ll keep posting blogs here as the project moves forward. Want to get involved in this exciting project? Donate now or check out our in-kind needs page here.
EZ Heat Solar Furnaces
Revision, in partnership with professor Aaron Brown at Metro State, have developed a soda-can solar furnace that costs less than $40 to make, and can help a family save $30/month on their heating bills.
An energy kit Revision provided for low-income families.
Driving through the Westwood neighborhood, you’ll notice something you see in many lower-income neighborhoods – evidence of poor housing stock, like cheap single pane windows, inadequate siding, and frequently, additions that aren’t up to code. For many families in this neighborhood, the winter months are a dreaded battle to remain warm. Poor insulation and weatherization mean their houses struggle to retain heat. The cost of keeping the house livable can reach $200 or more, and many families simply cannot afford this.
In 2011, Revision won a grant from the Denver Energy Challenge to help low-income families reduce the energy usage to heat and cool their homes. Tapping into it’s extensive community-network in Westwood and southwest Denver, Revision conducted over 200 home energy audits, providing those families with an energy efficiency kit and resources on how to weatherize and insulate their homes. However, after 18 months, it was obvious that the program was not meeting the needs of low-income residents. Energy audits simply gave them a list of things to fix on their house that were too expensive, and the energy-saving kits didn’t make a big enough impact – it was like bailing out a leaky boat with your hands.
An early prototype of the solar furnace. This iteration cost approximately $80 and has 144 cans.
Enter a unique collaboration between Revision and Metro State University of Denver’s Aaron Brown, an assistant Professor of mechanical engineering. Aaron’s passion for engineering and appropriate technology in impoverished communities led him take on the issue of heating houses in Westwood. Could he come up with a solution that would help heat a home and be affordable? The result was a simple prototype: a soda-can solar furnace that costs less than $40 to build, and utilizes reclaimed resources. Dubbed “EZ Heat” by residents, these solar furnaces take air from inside the house, funnel it through a passive-solar configuration of soda pop cans painted black, and pump it back in the house. The solar gain increases the air temperature over 100 degrees, all while only using a tiny computer fan to move the air, costing less than 2 cents per day to run. The furnaces are expected to save an average of $30 per month during the winter!
Thanks to Aaron’s vision, the dedication of his students, and the work of Revision promotoras to sell the idea to the community, four low-income families have prototype furnaces installed on their homes!
Over the next several months, the furnaces will be monitored and each family’s energy bills will be examined to calculate savings. Additionally, Aaron will train Revision’s promotoras on how to build the furnaces with the goal of creating a small community-based business employing residents to build them to sell for the neighborhood.
Interested in buying a furnace? Email us to put your name on the waiting list. Want to help make this and other community efforts a reality? Donate to Revision and know your dollars are heating up change in the lives of low-income families and communities.