Fort Collins wins gold for access to healthy food effort

Garden on Spring Creek

The City of Fort Collins, Colorado recently achieved five gold medals in Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC). An area that Fort Collins has invested a great deal of time and energy on since beginning our involvement in Let’s Move! is increasing access to healthy food for all residents.

By using city-owned and operated sites to grow food and provide nutrition education, the community comes together to address issues of healthy food access. The City’s Gardens on Spring Creek, a community botanic garden, is used to demonstrate sustainable horticultural practices, educate and inspire residents on gardening and nutrition, and provide cooking and nutrition classes at its outdoor kitchen. The Gardens have a special focus on food security as well. The Larimer County Food Bank uses donated harvest from the Garden to support the community each summer. As a key partner of the City of Fort Collins on LMCTC Goal III: Smart Servings for Students, the Food Bank also partners with Northside Aztlan Community Center to provide Kids Café in the afternoon, serving children in the city’s after school enrichment program. In the summertime, Kids Café becomes a breakfast and lunch program, and the Food Bank provides thousands of healthy meals at more than a dozen locations to feed and inspire underserved children.

To learn more, go to National League of Cities.