| Jurisdiction Name: | Denver |
| State/Province: | CO |
| Country: | United States |
| Type of Government: | Municipality/County |
| Population: | 600,158 |
| Population Range: | 250,000 to 999,999 |
| Policy Links: | |
| Policy type: | ordinance |
| Year: | 2018 |
| GFC Topic: | community food security |
| Keywords: | affordable, education, healthy, healthy food access, local food access, low-income, ordinance, sales tax, school meal, youth |
| Adopting Government Department(s): | Denver City Council |
| Lead Implementing Entity(s): | Healthy Food for Denver's Kids Commission |
| Support Entity(s): | Denver Department of Public Health & Environment |
| Funding Amount: | Estimated $100 million over ten years (2018-2028) |
| Funding Sources: | Tax payers (through a sales tax increase of 0.08%) |
| Policy Outcome(s): | The Healthy Food for Denver’s Kids was created through a 2018 ballot initiative to provide healthy food and food-based education to Denver’s youth, specifically those who are low-income and at-risk. The program is funded the 0.08% increase in sales taxes (less than one penny to $10), about $11.2 million in its first year. The tax revenues are distributed through the Denver Food Commission to help provide three meals a day year-round for children, provide cooking, gardening, and healthy eating classes, support local farms, ranches, and food businesses, and support schools and non-profit organizations supporting healthy eating in youth populations. The initiative is planned to run for a total of nine years (2018-2027). |
| Additional Resources and Information: | Link 1 – Link 2 |
