LOCAL FEATURE GOODR’S JASMINE CROW, COLORADO SEN. JAMES COLEMAN AND ELEVATED DENVER’S JOHNNA FLOOD TOLD THE CROWD AT DENVER STARTUP WEEK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH HUNGER AND HOW IT IMPACTED THEIR HOUSING SITUATIONS. CREDIT: ROBERT DAVIS HUNGER RELIEF COMPANY CONNECTS FOOD SECURITY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT DENVER STARTUP WEEK BY ROBERT DAVIS DENVER STARTUP WEEK often attracts businesses that are tackling the country’s most pressing issues. This year, a hunger relief startup spoke to attendees about the links between food security and affordable housing. Goodr, a food waste and hunger relief organization headquartered in Atlanta, was featured in a live Elevated Denver podcast recording on September 18. The discussion was moderated by Colorado Democrat Sen. James Coleman of Denver. The conversation happened at a time when issues surrounding food security and homelessness have also become more acute for low-income earning households since the pandemic began. For example, more than 156,000 households across Colorado report not having enough to eat, according to census data. One-third of those households have children, the data shows, and more than half of these families reported using their savings or borrowing money from friends and family to buy food. There is also a deep connection between access to affordable housing and food security. Affordable housing is defined as a dwelling that requires about 30% or less of an individual’s income for rent. As people spend a higher proportion of their income on rent and utilities, they often have less to spend on food, which can create a vicious cycle that ultimately ends in someone losing their home. About 50% of households in Colorado are considered “rent burdened,” meaning they 4 DENVER VOICE October 2023 pay more than 30% of their income on rent, according to the Colorado Housing Finance Authority. Goodr founder Jasmine Crowe said the data shows that there are a lot of vulnerable households that are making tough choices between paying their mortgage, rent and utility bills, or buying food. According to the latest consumer price data, food prices were up 4.3% for the 12-month period ending in August 2023. For comparison, the Bureau of Labor Statistics measured the U.S. core inflation rate at 3.7% in August. These figures were even higher in the Rocky Mountain region, according to BLS. “These issues shouldn’t exist in a country as rich as ours,” Crowe said. “But there is so much food wasted everyday that it boggles the mind.” Food waste is not a new issue in the U.S., but it is one that seems to be getting worse. Data from the national nonprofit ReFED shows the U.S. produced about 91 million pounds of surplus food in 2021, a nearly 5% increase since 2016. However, about 32.7 million tons of food was sent to landfills across the country, with households making up the largest chunk of that waste. Colorado produced about 1.55 million pounds of surplus food in 2021, but more than 58% of that surplus ended up in state landfills, the data shows. And this trend has impacted low-income earners, households of color, and seniors who live on fixed incomes the most, Crowe said. Traditionally, food banks provide the backbone of support for food insecure families. Food banks are places where food insecure households can get healthy food for free or at a significantly reduced price compared to grocery stores. In theory, buying food from food banks should free up other money to be spent on housing costs. But Crowe said that isn’t always the case because some organizations give out low quality food that spoils quickly or don’t have culturally responsive options for people who eat vegan, halal or kosher diets. “A lot of people think that if you’re hungry then you need to accept the food you’re given and be grateful,” Crowe said. “We need to break that stigma.” These are all problems that Goodr is designed to address, Crowe added. The company takes a two-pronged approach to solving hunger. On one hand, Goodr diverts food waste away from landfills and gives it to nonprofits who can either redistribute the food or compost it. The company also hosts pop-up grocery stores and has a meal and grocery delivery program. The idea behind Goodr’s model is to meet people where they are and to provide them with the healthy options they deserve, Crowe said. Goodr has also teamed up with some Denver-area schools like the Place Bridge Academy to address food insecurity. Goodr operates a free grocery store at the school that is stocked with fresh produce, reduced sugar or sugar-free snacks, school supplies, and clothing. About 200 students and their families use the grocery store every month and another 100 are on the waitlist. Crowe said Goodr’s goals are to reduce food waste by about 15% and hunger by around 10% nationwide. While those numbers may seem small, she said they could have a dramatic impact. For example, reducing hunger by about 10% would mean that 25 million Americans have affordable sources for nutritious meals, Crowe said. One issue that the company has run into is funding, Crowe mentioned. Goodr currently operates on a budget of between $3 million and $4 million per year, which pales in comparison to large food banks like the Food Bank of the Rockies, which has an annual operating budget of about $164 million, according to its tax filings from 2021. “The way we’ve tried to solve hunger in this country is all wrong,” Crowe said. ■
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