Our Mission:
To advance food justice and health equity in communities facing food apartheid in the Denver Metro area.
Our Vision:
We envision a future where communities are egalitarian, thriving, empowered, interconnected, and creating prosperity through local food systems and political advocacy.
Who We Serve:
Kaizen Food Rescue is dedicated to supporting individuals and families across the Denver metro area who face food insecurity, including:
Veterans experiencing homelessness
Refugees rebuilding their lives
Working families struggling to make ends meet
Anyone seeking access to healthy food and the opportunity to participate in a more equitable and sustainable food system
Our Impact:
Kaizen has distributed over 16.4 million pounds of food to more than 100,000 families, providing nutritious food to those in need. By doing so, we empower individuals, improve health outcomes, and strengthen our community. Access to healthy food is a vital component of social mobility and overall well-being.
Kaizen uses the Whole Measures Framework, a holistic, values-based evaluation tool, to assess the broader impact of our community programs. This framework goes beyond traditional metrics, such as the number of people served, to evaluate how we contribute to building more just, equitable, and resilient communities.
The framework focuses on six key areas of sustainable development and community well-being:
Justice and Fairness: Promotes equity and fairness across racial, economic, and social divides by ensuring inclusive decision-making and access to resources.
Strong Communities: Strengthens community bonds, fosters collaboration, and nurtures leadership among members of the community.
Vibrant Farms and Gardens: Evaluates how our work supports the health and viability of local farms and gardens, connecting them to the community.
Healthy People: Focuses on improving individual and community health through better access to nutritious food and wellness programs.
Sustainable Ecosystems: Ensures our impact on the environment is positive by promoting ecological sustainability and resource conservation.
Thriving Local Economies: Supports local economic vitality by creating jobs, fostering entrepreneurship, and helping local food businesses thrive.
By using Whole Measures, we evaluate not just our output but the deeper, long-term impacts of our work on food justice and health equity in the community.
Fresh food access collaboration with Re:Vision Co-op, Lifespan Local, USDA, and Food Bank of the Rockies during the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. We provided over 500 families with healthy food options weekly at this location alone.