Denver Urban Gardens slows plans for expansion following federal cuts
Denver Urban Gardens, a nonprofit that has built hundreds of gardens across seven counties in the Denver metro area, is having to revisit its plans for expansion after its federal grants were pulled back.
DUG received a combined $1.2 million in federal funding that they planned on using to increase food access for six West Denver neighborhoods, but now those plans have been uprooted.
"This is my plot right here, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, anything for a salad," said Joe Milia, showing off his garden in downtown Denver.
DUG is celebrating 40 years as a nonprofit, and although its plans for expansion have slowed with federal funding drying up, its impact in the city is still being felt.
"If you saw this area, this whole garden, a few years ago, there was nothing here," said Milia. "It was kind of torn apart and run down. DUG, taking this over has not only allowed people to take these 30 plus plots and grow food, but it also has beautified a section of downtown."
Milia has gardened here for two years, and although he may not be dependent on the garden to put food on the table, it brings him a sense of accomplishment and community.
"When you take something from a seed or a small plant to growing it, nurturing it, cleaning the whole park around it," said Milia. "Then eventually bringing it home and having a salad, it's getting your hands dirty and accomplishing something."
"These gardens are incredible ways to bring people from all ages, all walks of life, all demographics together to grow food," said the organization's executive director, Linda Appel Lipsius. "And it's so simple and beautiful, and something that you know, Denver can use more of."
Appel Lipsius has been working for years to make a deeper impact in the community, while bringing fresh produce to areas where it's hard to get.
"The community came together and said, we need food," said Appel Lipsius. "Access to this affordable, fresh, healthy food is either going to go away entirely or be dramatically reduced."
The West Area Plan included community gardens and food forests, which are more like public orchards where anyone can stop in and take the food. But, that dream may now take years to bear fruit because of a drastic cut to the program's funding.
"So far we have lost two thirds of the $1.2 million that we received from the federal government," said Appel Lipsius. "Now we're still doing it, but it's just going to be a lot slower, and it's really pretty heartbreaking because it was something that was going to be truly transformational for the community."
