It’s easy to focus on impact metrics when reflecting on a year like the amazing one The GrowHaus had in 2022- the thousands of people receiving fresh food boxes each week, the hundreds of children engaged in our food education programs, the job opportunities we have created, and the hundreds of thousands of pounds of food that we have put on people’s tables. As excited as I am to share the immense impact The GrowHaus has made this year, I want to take this opportunity to recognize what your support has meant for our small but mighty community-led team.

We feel deeply seen, trusted, cheered on, and supported by you! Together, we have created transformative food justice solutions driven by the communities we serve.  

The GrowHaus is much more than a food access organization - here, we grow community leaders. Many of our team members now stepping into management roles for the first time in their careers, have deep roots in the communities we support. Their leadership and guidance bring important lived-experience perspectives to the strategic decisions charting our path forward.

The GrowHaus looks different than it used to - every day, more deeply guided, led, and impacted by our community. We are now seeing the next generation of The GrowHaus leaders come from the after-school programs we started many years ago. Now, as young adults, our students are returning to this familiar and beloved place to grow professionally and give back to their community. 

That’s what I think real change is all about - and it all started with providing access to food.

We are planting the seeds for food justice one garden at a time. 

Children and parents in our neighborhood can get their hands dirty and practice their gardening skills during our summer program, Abejitas. I love stopping by the class and seeing the look on children’s faces as they pick up a squirming worm for the first time. 

A highlight of the Abejitas program is enjoying a home-cooked meal prepared by one of our community members. I may be biased, but our neighborhood chefs are some of the best. They are constantly experimenting and infusing new vegetables and spices into traditional dishes like tamales and pupusas.

Sitting on the grass with good food on our plates and children laughing is my happy place. 

Every summer, we also welcome teens from the neighborhood to come together and explore the meaning of food justice and community leadership during Seed2Seed. They go on field trips to farms, engage with community activists, and attend cooking and art workshops. 

A highlight of this year was hiring three previous Seed2Seed students as part-time Program Facilitators for the first time in the program’s history. When we gave the facilitators the opportunity to take on a passion project, we had no idea the creativity we were about to witness. Selina led a natural tie-dye workshop for over 80 community members; Emmanuel led a street art class for teens, and Emely ran a jewelry-making fundraiser to support a local organization. 

Our future is bright with these young leaders at the helm!

Finally, I am so excited to share about two new partnerships. Our food access team collaborates with 14 Denver Public Library branch locations and 7 Boys and Girls Clubs throughout Denver to provide weekly fresh food boxes to the greater Denver community.