Toolkit

Tri-County Healthy Food Pantry Toolkit

By Tri-County Health Department

Tri-County created this toolkit to highlight their local work on healthy food access and food pantries as part of the CPHMC project. Information in this toolkit includes a food pantry assessment tool, information on stocking a healthy food pantry, a list of foods to encourage, and lists that will help staff provide appropriate foods to people with chronic diseases, certain dietary beliefs, and those who are homeless.

Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) serves 3 counties on the eastern side of the Denver Colorado metropolitan area. There are wide variations in health equity between those counties. TCHD focused efforts on the City of Thornton, CO in Adams County with a population of 124,707, an area showing the highest needs related to limited food access. Tri-County Health Department’s coalition, Bringing Health 2 U, sought to increase access to healthy food resources, provide seamless referrals to community resources including WIC, and increase knowledge and support of breastfeeding, cultural awareness and WIC benefits. Three food banks in the Thornton area work to meet the needs of approximately 1,500 of those in most need per week and receive referrals from Hunger Free Colorado and other nearby agencies. The City of Thornton government has declared their interest in policy and resource enhancements for improved access to healthy foods. Adams County Head Start, Adams County Housing, a community garden co-operative, and local farmers all show willingness to collaborate on increasing access to healthy food choices in this community.

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Date Added
December 11, 2017

Citation
Tri-County Health Department (2017) Healthy Food Pantry Toolkit. Available online: https://thewichub.sfo2.digitaloceanspaces.com/2017/12/TCHD-Healthy-Food-Pantry-Tool-Kit-copy.pdf