Decatur Fresh
Decatur Fresh
Mission
To decrease food insecurity and provide economic mobility to Sun Valley residents. Vision every family in Sun Valley has access to food in a culturally relevant, authentic, and inclusive environment.
Location
995 N. Decatur St. Denver, CO 80204 (Sun Valley)
Launch Year
2021
Summary
Decatur Fresh is a grocery market, workforce training program, and community space. The 1,800 square space offers local residents affordable, nutritious options in what is now a food desert, with no grocery stores within 2.5 miles. The grocery market serves almost 5,000 Sun Valley residents, local nonprofits, and the broader Denver community, especially those with a passion for food justice and who seek international food options.
Decatur Fresh is committed to addressing food scarcity in Sun Valley, and all residents receive discounts and utilize programs like SNAP and the Double Up Bucks Program to affordably access quality, nutritious, and culturally relevant food. Community input is built into the fabric of Decatur Fresh’s operations; resident preferences inform product inventory.
Decatur Fresh also operates a paid training and internship program for Sun Valley residents interested in growing their careers in customer service or grocery store management. Residents receive necessary certifications in a classroom setting, complete a 120-hour internship, build concrete skillsets in food retail, and determine their next educational or career opportunity with support from Decatur Fresh’s staff.
Objectives
- Provide affordable, healthy, culturally inclusive food.
- Train low-income residents in market operations, including superior customer service.
- Create community space.
- Become a cultural destination that celebrates and preserves Sun Valley’s diversity and unique fabric.
• Sun Valley Healthy Living Assessment Results. Each year, DHA will administer the Healthy Living Assessment to monitor healthy living outcomes among Sun Valley residents.
• Amount of goods sold, especially produce.
• Sun Valley Resident involvement in Decatur Fresh. Sun Valley residents will participate in training and internships at Decatur Fresh.
• Participant income and outcomes. Decatur Fresh will measure and record how the trainings and internships help participants increase their income and advance their careers.
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
French
Lao
Russian
Somali
Spanish
Vietnamese