Denver’s Westwood: solutions to the ‘food desert’

interview with Eric Kornacki

After seven years of organizing and getting their fingers in the dirt (literally), West Denver’s Re:Vision won a $1.2 million performance-based loan from Denver’s Office of Economic Development.  Executive Director of Re:Vision Eric Kornacki visited “First Take with Lando and Chavis” to describe how the grant will help them expand local, healthy food choices for the Westwood neighborhood of 6,000+ households, considered a “food desert.”

“There are no grocery stores or corner stores or physical access points where somebody can buy affordable, healthy food,” said Kornacki.

Another factor that makes a food store effective, says Kornacki: “Cultural relevance.  We have diverse neighborhoods, Westwood is one of them.   If you are an immigrant, can you find the  foods that are normal to your custom and your culture?”  

The loan from Denver’s Office of Economic Development (through  federal Community Block Grant funds) supported property acquisition at 3738 Morrison Road in southwest Denver.  According to the Denver OED, the loan is considered a grant on the condition “so long as a community benefit of food access is provided to residents for at least 20 years.”

Re:Vision plans a co-op grocery store, cafe, commissary kitchen, a food aggregation and processing facility and 10,000 swuare foot greenhouse on site.

the news release from the Denver Office of Economic Development

Re:Vision’s website is www.revision.coop.