Twelve Food Non Profits to Consider on Colorado Gives Day

Today is the day when Colorado Gives. An annual tradition for the first Tuesday in December, this statewide day of giving is about encouraging philanthropy through online donations to some of the 2,000 participating charities at coloradogives.org. Local nonprofits raised more than $38 million on this day last year. For the food obsessed, we curated a list of ten extraordinary organizations with a food-related mission for you to consider.

Slow Food Denver: "Slow Food Denver cultivates the enjoyment of local food with all members of the community to create a more just and sustainable food system."

Chef Ann Foundation: "In Colorado, 25% of children are obese or overweight. The Chef Ann Foundation (CAF) wants to help children establish healthy eating habits for life, and we're starting with school lunch. CAF provides tools, resources, and equipment grants to help schools improve their nutrition programs. With our support, schools transition from processed food loaded with fat, salt and sugar to scratch-made meals made with fresh, whole foods. Please help nourish children's minds, bodies and futures."

We Don't Waste: "We Don't Waste an innovative food recovery organization reducing food waste by recovering food from venues, events, caterers, restaurants and major food distributors, then deliver the food to community-based non-profit agencies serving vulnerable populations, increasing food security within those populations. We are the link between food sources and the underserved."

Project Angel Heart: "Project Angel Heart delivers nutritious meals to improve quality of life, at no cost, for those coping with life-threatening illness."

Same Cafe: "SAME seeks to eliminate hunger by feeding all people regardless of their economic status. SAME seeks to help individuals and their communities who are impoverished, disabled, starving and discriminated against by teaching skills to help them avoid unemployment, homelessness, sickness and starvation."

Denver Food Rescue: "Denver Food Rescue is a nonprofit focused on improving health equity outcomes by increasing access to healthy foods in low income areas. DFR accomplishes this by picking up food that would otherwise be discarded from grocery stores, and delivering it by bicycle to hyperlocal, resident-led no cost grocery, cooking, and nutrition programs. These programs help to fill in the gaps created by our food retail and food assistance systems, while supporting culturally appropriate education empowerment."

Growing Gardens: "Growing Gardens has become a nationally recognized leader in sustainable urban agriculture and education programs and has connected more than 110,000 people to their food, the land, and each other since 1998. Your gift to Growing Gardens is a vote of confidence for local organic food security and the vital importance urban agriculture, education and leadership is to our community. Please schedule or make your tax-deductible gift to Growing Gardens today!"

The Kitchen Community: "Join The Kitchen Community today and create community through food! In partnership donors like you, we are ushering in the cultural shift needed to nurture community through the access to fresh, nutritious food."

Food Bank of the Rockies: "We help hungry men, women and children thrive by providing food and essentials through our programs and partner agencies."

The GrowHaus: "The GrowHaus is an indoor farm, marketplace, and educational center in Denver's Elyria-Swansea neighborhood. Our mission is to create a community-driven, neighborhood-based food system by serving as a hub for food distribution, production, education, and economic development."

Metro Caring: "Operating a free, fresh-foods market, the mission of Metro Caring is to provide nutritious food to hungry families and individuals while promoting health and self-sufficiency. Your gifts, both large and small, enable us to achieve our mission of helping those affected by hunger to gain self-sufficiency. All gifts to Metro Caring are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law."

Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters: "No child should grow up hungry in America, but one in five children nationally, and here in Colorado, struggles with hunger. Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign is ending child hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. In Colorado, the Cooking Matters program empowers families with the skills needed to shop for and cook nutritious, affordable meals."