Mercy Hospital in Durango, Colorado, has started a new initiative to address food insecurity and support local farmers. The program comes at a time when federal nutrition assistance programs such as SNAP and WIC are facing challenges.
The hospital purchased about $7,000 worth of surplus fresh vegetables—totaling 1,632 pounds—from area farms including Mountain Roots, Long Table Farm, Homegrown Farm, Pueblo Seed & Food, Bidii Baby Foods, and The Old Fort Farm. These vegetables were distributed to local food pantries such as Mancos Food Share, Silverton Food Pantry, Ute Mountain Tribe WIC, Good Samaritan, Grub Hub Food Pantry, and the La Plata Family Center Coalition.
Families in communities from Towaoc to Silverton to Bayfield received the locally grown produce. Mercy Hospital worked with the Good Food Collective on this project. For 14 seasons, the Good Food Collective has partnered with Mercy through the Mercy Roots of Health Program to distribute food and support employees who may be experiencing food insecurity.
Lauren Ames, Food Security Director at the Good Food Collective said: “We’re so grateful for Mercy’s leadership and quick action. This effort showed how powerful our regional food network can be when we come together – keeping food local, supporting our farmers, and feeding our neighbors.”
The initiative also involved partnerships with organizations like Bidii Baby Foods—a Navajo grower focused on Indigenous agriculture—to donate culturally significant foods to the Ute Mountain Ute WIC Pantry in Towaoc.
Josh Neff, President of Mercy Hospital stated: “Mercy Hospital is deeply woven into the fabric of this community, and we have been here to support the community through many trials and tribulations over the last 144 years. Today is no different. When the communities we serve face immediate challenges – whether it’s our local farmers with excess produce or families grappling with food insecurity – we step up. This initiative is about reinforcing our community’s resilience, ensuring that access to fresh, healthy food remains constant, and demonstrating our belief that local solutions, born from shared values, can make the most profound difference.”
Mercy Hospital says it will continue its mission to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations by focusing on excellence and innovation.
