Public Health in the Rockies 2026

The Healthy Food for Denver’s Kids initiative (HFDK), established through a 2018 ballot measure, expands access to healthy food and food-based education for children and families. HFDK funds nonprofit organizations, local government entities, and public schools working across Denver’s food system. CAI serves as the external evaluator, developing shared process and outcome measures, tools, and resources to describe impact and promote sustainability.

CAI developed interactive geospatial maps and multi-level analyses to visualize where and how grantees delivered services across Denver. Using grantee reporting data on service delivery site locations, neighborhood-level indicators, and ArcGIS, CAI created customized maps to examine service reach for youth and families, potential gaps, and areas of overlap. CAI facilitated an interactive grantee convening where grantees reviewed maps, discussed patterns, and contributed community knowledge to contextualize the findings.

This participatory process generated insights that would not have emerged from CAI analyzing the maps alone. For example, grantees noted that two apparently underserved neighborhoods included a large golf course and cemetery, helping explain the absence of service sites and refine how potential gaps were interpreted. Grantees also recommended additional layers, including transit lines and food pantry locations, to help determine whether apparent gaps reflect limited access, transportation barriers, or existing resources not captured in the maps. Lastly, grantees identified opportunities to explore partnerships with school districts beyond Denver Public Schools in border neighborhoods where families may otherwise fall through the gaps.

This session will highlight how participatory data interpretation can support community health planning and policy development by helping to identify service gaps, strengthen partnerships, and translate data into actionable recommendations. Attendees will review the facilitation structure and mapping activities used with grantees, then participate in a small-group exercise replicating the grantee experience. A one-hour session is requested to allow sufficient time for both presentation and interactive application.