Our long-term objective is to provide the families and students of our local community with free organically grown meals on daily basis for the school term, at the onset.

Why: There are far too many kids enrolled in each school who have no access to nourishing food at school, even with discounted prices, and many experience very limited and unbalanced diets tn their homes as well.

How: Through donations to fund fair to above market price purchases from local organic growers, and pay local young community people to prepare them 5 days a week, 30 weeks a year, with a quallfied kltchen space for that preparation.

Updates:

Following the drop-off of funding contributions brought on with the Covid-29 disruptions, we've concentrated our funding efforts on the development of artisan Sourdough Bread baking and sales to help fund our activities. Toward that end, we have become well-accepted in the regional Farmer's Markets and local communities as producers of fresh organic, hand-crafted, naturally leavened whole-grain breads using locally grown grain with 'enhanced fermentation'.

In addition to providing superior taste, our bread has proven to minimize the symptoms of "gluten sensitivity" issues including those actually diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

We have anecdotal evidence that the quality of our bread helps restore insulin production by those with diagnosed Diabetis Type 1, but many who have 'tasted and seen' report a minimal if any adverse response.

Over the summer of 2020 we provided organic locally sourced food to The Marble Charter School families in Gunnison County, and "Stepping Stones", a youth mentoring program that operates drop-in centers for youth ages 10 - 21, in the Roaring Fork Valley with weekly deliveries of local, fresh, organically grown food from the North Fork Valley. This was made possible by grants from The Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger, administered by the Trailhead Institute; and The Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley, along with a small group of much appreciated well-informed private donors, We are most grateful for all their support.

There is a clear need In the all the local communities of Colorado for nourishing food from outside sources. The Colorado School Lunch program is contrary to to good health by basic content. Our 'model' stands as an improved alternative, and can be replicated In other communities to serve their needs.

Concurrant with that is the obvious need in all communities for the establishment of true 'non-profit' food stores such as our own beloved Old River Road Trading Post here in Paonia, which provide all, especially the hard-working 'young people' element, in our community with quality food for their families by making available fresh, organically grown, locally produced nourishing food.