What We Do
After years of informal community organizing together, the Four Corners Food Coalition was founded by community members at the onset of the Covid crisis to move resources from areas of concentration to areas of forcible extraction which were exacerbated by covid death rates across our region. The Coalition distributed hundreds of thousands of pounds of food and 1000s of dollars to folks addressing their food needs at that time.
The Coalition has grown organically since that time in response to shifting community needs. We have been all volunteer run since our inception, offering stipends to folks who give their labor whenever possible. Since 2020, we have mobilized financial resources, moved hundreds of thousands of pounds of food and critical goods across the region, and supported countless grassroots food leaders to nurture the vitality of community based food systems.
Indigenous Shared Agriculture
Our ISA program provides 20 Indigenous families in the Cortez area with weekly food boxes stocked with fresh, local and traditional food items. The program also offers a monthly traditional foods class for all participants.
2023 end of season highlights (forthcoming, should be on here somewhere or the info somehow)
Food Systems Fellowship
Our Food Systems Fellowship was launched in 2023. 11 grassroots food systems leaders from the Four Corners Region gathered monthly for 10 months to deepen our knowledge of food systems, build greater connectivity across the region, and collectively move in the direction of food justice and food sovereignty for our communities.
Community Food Center
We are in the processing of developing a Community Food Center in Downtown Cortez, Colorado.
GOAL #1: Provide accessible space and infrastructure to community food organizations and food producers.
Currently, Montezuma School to Farm Project and Good Sams Food Pantry are operating out of the space which provides walk-in fridges, ample bulk food storage space, offices, and supply storage in a convenient location for community members to access in Downtown Cortez.
We share resources such as seed cleaning equipment and planting supplies with impacted community members.
GOAL #2: Foster reciprocal food based economies
The large warehouse space is currently utilized for winter markets which are well received by the community.
The forthcoming commercial kitchen will provide adequate space and high quality equipment for processing and developing value added products.
GOAL #3: Provide multi purpose space for community events with a focus on maintaining a healthy space for youth and forcibly marginalized community members.
Farm Land
More to come here!
Resource Redistribution
We work with food pantries and mutual aid groups across the region to support communication, shared distribution of resources, and collective grant writing.
Healthy School Meals for All