Our Story
In Archuleta County, 8.2% of families and 11.6% of residents fell below the poverty line in 2017. The coalition was established to understand the food system with the aim of advancing food equity in our community. The coalition began by building a network and examining food-related issues identified by its members. Through continued community engagement, the coalition identified significant barriers to accessing affordable, nutritious food in Archuleta County, and actively worked to address them. Adopting a participatory approach to its work, the coalition ensured that community members, participants, working groups, and partner agencies were actively engaged in identifying and refining strategies of the coalition. These strategies were based on insights that emerged from community food assessments and continuous cycles of learning. In 2021, Healthy Archuleta was formed, building upon the coalition’s foundational food-related work. Leveraging deeper community knowledge and connections, Healthy Archuleta has since expanded its focus to encompass broader community needs, including physical, mental/behavioral, and oral health and creating stronger community cohesion (See "Our Efforts" Section Below).
In Archuleta County, 8.2% of families and 11.6% of residents fell below the poverty line in 2017. The coalition was established to understand the food system with the aim of advancing food equity in our community. The coalition began by building a network and examining food-related issues identified by its members. Through continued community engagement, the coalition identified significant barriers to accessing affordable, nutritious food in Archuleta County, and actively worked to address them. Adopting a participatory approach to its work, the coalition ensured that community members, participants, working groups, and partner agencies were actively engaged in identifying and refining strategies of the coalition. These strategies were based on insights that emerged from community food assessments and continuous cycles of learning. In 2021, Healthy Archuleta was formed, building upon the coalition’s foundational food-related work. Leveraging deeper community knowledge and connections, Healthy Archuleta has since expanded its focus to encompass broader community needs, including physical, mental/behavioral, and oral health and creating stronger community cohesion (See "Our Efforts" Section Below).
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Our Values & Approach
- Healthy Archuleta is a grassroots community group that is using a participatory and action-driven approach that is process oriented, strategic, and systematic.
- Our goal is to maintain a posture of learning in understanding our food system in our community from our community members.
- Our approach is informed by our values of equity, service, and humility.
- We strive to work “with” as many members of our community as possible -- learning about the food and health care access and utilization in our community in pursuit of systemic change (issues and opportunities) toward health equity, nutrition security, and community cohesion.
- Healthy Archuleta is committed to justice for those who have historically been under-resourced and under-represented. We believe equity—especially health equity—requires the engagement and substantive participation of everyone in our community. We have and continue to deliberately engage the Spanish-Language Hispanic and Indigenous populations of our community in all our work.
Our Team
We foster a participatory and collaborative environment, considering everyone we work with as part of our team. Our team comprises diverse community members, including youth, families, growers, producers, processors, food organizations, healthcare professionals, and educators among others. To address issues and opportunities effectively, we've identified three key areas (health equity, nutrition security, and community cohesion) and established or supported groups to tackle them. Through CLLCs and Coalitions/networks, we engage families, individuals, groups, and partner agencies to identify and overcome barriers to accessing nutritious foods and primary preventative healthcare. Our work has expanded to include partners and community members from varied backgrounds and experiences, and we welcome others to join our work, ensuring a space for multiple perspectives and lived experiences.
We foster a participatory and collaborative environment, considering everyone we work with as part of our team. Our team comprises diverse community members, including youth, families, growers, producers, processors, food organizations, healthcare professionals, and educators among others. To address issues and opportunities effectively, we've identified three key areas (health equity, nutrition security, and community cohesion) and established or supported groups to tackle them. Through CLLCs and Coalitions/networks, we engage families, individuals, groups, and partner agencies to identify and overcome barriers to accessing nutritious foods and primary preventative healthcare. Our work has expanded to include partners and community members from varied backgrounds and experiences, and we welcome others to join our work, ensuring a space for multiple perspectives and lived experiences.
Our Efforts
Over the years, our efforts have focused on the following areas of action and learning:
Over the years, our efforts have focused on the following areas of action and learning:
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Assessment. Conducting the Nutrition Security|Health Equity Assessment and Informing the Work Based on the Findings Engagement. Fostering Community Connections and Service through Food, Health and Social Affinity Groups Operations. Supporting and Strengthening Healthy Archuleta's Operation |
Healthcare. Increasing Access and Utilization of Primary and Preventative Health Care, including Mental/Behavioral and Oral Health Capacity Building. Increasing Community Capacity related to the Food System and Healthcare Services through Workforce Development, Volunteer Engagement, Peer Learning, Language Equity Training, and Youth-Focused Programming |
Food System. Increasing Production, Supply, Access, and Security for a Strong Healthy Promoting Regenerative Local Food System Education. Advancing Community Learning about the Food System & Health Promotion/Wellness |
Our Structure
On September 10, 2021 Healthy Archuleta, Inc. was established as a non-profit corporation in the State of Colorado. Healthy Archuleta is dedicated to driving strategic systems change by engaging community members to advance nutrition security, health equity, and greater social belonging.
On September 10, 2021 Healthy Archuleta, Inc. was established as a non-profit corporation in the State of Colorado. Healthy Archuleta is dedicated to driving strategic systems change by engaging community members to advance nutrition security, health equity, and greater social belonging.
