Thank you to the Journal for covering the development of the food hub in Cortez (“Coalition plans soft opening for ‘community food center,’” May 6). I’m often asked, “What’s happening with the food hub project?” Well, in short, a lot!
The food hub project just took a big step forward thanks to the acquisition of a space that will be dedicated to food access, education and food-related events. At a gathering of stakeholders and friends on May 16, the Montezuma Food Coalition celebrated a milestone: obtaining a brick and mortar (or in this case, adobe!) space to house a community food center at the corner of North and Beech streets in downtown Cortez.
Thanks to the collaborative spirit of many people and organizations, this facility is designed to support the local food acquisition and distribution efforts of groups such as the Pinon Project, the WIC program, Mancos FoodShare, and the Good Samaritan. Integrating an educational and experiential approach to food, partners such as the Montezuma School to Farm Project, the Community Garden Project, the Cortez Public Arts Advisory Committee and the Good Food Collective will find much-needed gathering and food storage space to enhance their own programming.
This new facility is called the Sharehouse, playing upon the notion of sharing space in a warehouse. The Sharehouse, a community food center, takes a holistic approach to connecting people with nourishing food by enabling experiences with food through a variety of entry points, including arts, education, growing food, cooking – and most importantly: equitable access to fresh, healthy food. It is the Montezuma Food Coalition’s belief that a strong local food system will help create a healthier, happier, more prosperous community.
The Sharehouse pilot project will operate from the old Kiva School space at 30-D N. Beech as funds are raised to build out the larger 4,000 square foot warehouse at 30-A N. Beech, on the corner that used to house Axl’s Glass.
The Montezuma Food Coalition, the entity behind the Sharehouse, is a local nonprofit under Onward! A Legacy Foundation. We are currently raising funds for the pilot project start up and operations. For more information, see the Montezuma Food Coalition’s Facebook page or contact Laurie Hall at homegrownsalads@sevenmeadowsfarm.com
Laurie Hall, director
The Montezuma Food Coalition