Using Local Taxes to Support Food Security

Food security - consistent access to healthy, affordable and culturally inclusive food - is essential for good health, chronic disease prevention, and improving health equity. Food security offers more than just enough to eat; it provides dignity, stability, and the opportunity for individuals and families to focus on school, work, health, and actively participate in their communities.

In Boulder, many organizations work to ensure everyone has access to the food they need through community pantries, grocery support, hot meals, and nutrition education. The City of Boulder supports these efforts through grants from the Health Equity Fund (HEF), funded by the Sugar Sweetened Beverage Product Distribution Tax.

This post highlights local programs addressing food insecurity, demonstrating how HEF funding helps promote health equity for Boulder residents.

The following organizations received funding for programs related to food security through the Health Equity Fund in 2025. Visit the Community Funding Dashboard to view all Health Equity Fund grant awards.

Boulder County AIDS Project

The Boulder County AIDS Project (BCAP) provides support, advocacy and education to those in our community who are living with or affected by HIV and serves as an outreach and information center to prevent the further transmission of HIV. BCAP operates the Jack Hodges Food Pantry in Boulder which provides over 30,000 pounds of high-protein, nutritious foods and hydrating beverages annual. These types of foods and beverages are critical for people being treated for HIV and can be difficult to obtain at traditional food pantries. HEF funding supports the distribution of nutrient-rich food and hydrating beverages from BCAP’s food pantry and ready-to-eat food during street outreach activities.

Boulder County Farmers Markets

Since 1987, Boulder County Farmers Markets has worked to support, promote and expand access to locally grown and made products for all members of our community. HEF funding helps increase the sale and consumption of locally grown foods among low-income families, primarily WIC and SNAP recipients, at seasonal farmers markets and through delivery of fresh produce to families via child care centers.

Boulder Food Rescue

Boulder Food Rescue (BFR) aims to address hunger while reducing food waste. HEF funds help BFR redistribute healthy food, including fresh produce that would otherwise be wasted, by delivering it by bicycle to 40 distribution points. These include 37 No Cost Grocery programs, community-led food distribution points that operate in community centers and backyards of program users.

Community Food Share

Community Food Share aims to ensure everyone in Boulder and Broomfield Counties has access to the nutritious food they need to not just survive but thrive. As the Feeding America affiliate for our Boulder region, Community Food Share is the largest distributor to other food banks in Boulder and provides pantry shopping directly to local community members. HEF funding each year provides roughly 2,800 community members access to healthy, diet-specific foods at the food pantry.

Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA)

EFAA serves as Boulder’s family resource center safety net agency, ensuring our community has access to food, housing, and other resources to move toward financial stability and resilience. With HEF grants, EFAA supplies fresh vegetables, prepared freezer meals and other food pantry items for low-income families.

Growing Gardens

Over the last 25 years, Growing Gardens has served Boulder with agriculture education programs, vegetable seeds and plants, cooking classes and food donations to people of all ages and income levels. HEF supports healthy eating and nutrition education, farm visits, and fresh produce to City of Boulder students aged 6-11 yrs old, free gardening classes, seed donations to low-income families and educational programs to early childhood centers.

Harvest of All First Nations

Harvest of All First Nations (HAFN) is a community-based organization led by and primarily focused on people of color and underserved communities. HAFN teaches and encourages Indigenous-led farming and food generation in a decolonized, culturally centered manner. HEF funding will provide mentorship programs for Indigenous traditional gardening, stewardship programs, and a Traditional Ecological Knowledge workshop series.

Harvest of Hope Pantry

Opened in 2012, Harvest of Hope Pantry serves low-income individuals and families from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances including those who experience homelessness. They provide a wide range of foods at their pantry including fruit, vegetables, bakery items, canned foods, dairy, meat, and frozen foods. HEF funding will be used to provide fresh and frozen foods to at least 2,500 low-income city residents.

Meals on Wheels of Boulder

The mission of Meals on Wheels of Boulder is to provide nutritious meals and a daily well-being check to Boulder residents, who are not able to shop for or prepare their own meals. Meals on Wheels clients are able to maintain health longer, age in place in their own homes and enjoy improved quality of life, independence and dignity. HEF funding provides prepared, home-delivered meals and social connectivity for low-income older adults living in the city. HEF also supports operations at the Eat Well Café, located at the city’s West Age Well Center, offering inexpensive meals and socialization for older adults and others who may feel lonely or isolated.

Project Angel Heart

Project Angel Heart was founded to help people who are severely ill get the nutritious food they need to heal and remain at home. HEF funding provides medically tailored and nutritious meals to Boulder residents with severe illness such as HIV, cancer, dementia, and heart/lung/kidney disease; and guidance for clients so they can make informed decisions about food planning and consumption.

Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN)

SPAN is a human rights organization that provides shelter and advocacy for victims of domestic violence. Because people who have experienced trauma often don’t have the tools or resources that enable healthy eating, SPAN utilizes HEF funds for a kitchen manager at the domestic violence emergency shelter to provide healthy meals and encourage healthy eating habits for shelter residents/families.

Garden to Table

Garden to Table empowers school communities with gardens and curriculum to engage all students in experiential outdoor education as a way to advance student learning and wellness and encourage healthy eating habits. HEF funding provides Title I elementary schools in Boulder with working gardens for classroom activities, gardening and food curricula for teachers to use, and supports community events in school gardens.

UpRoot Colorado

UpRoot Colorado increases the nutrition security of Coloradans by harvesting and redistributing surplus, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables while supporting the resilience of local farmers. They envision a mindful, humane and equitable Colorado food system where farmers are valued for who they are: a cornerstone of our society. HEF funding will support on-farm gleaning events, and distribution of gleaned food to local food pantries and that support low-income Boulder residents.

• Boulder County Housing and Human Services - Help for Boulder County residents in need of access to food assistance in addition to SNAP (food stamps), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, Seniors and Veterans Services. Learn more on the county’s website.
• Food Security Network - A 2-county coalition empowering grassroots leaders to identify and address food access issues. Learn more on the Food Security Network website.
• Healthy School Meals for All - School meals are free for all BVSD students through the Healthy School Meals for All Program. Learn more about this program on the BVSD website.