2020 was a difficult year for many. From layoffs, kids at home, losing loved ones, and so much more, the struggles of last year will forever shape our lives. As we headed into our end of the year fundraiser, our most critical moment in the year to determine what kind of work we can do in 2021, we were unsure what capacity our donors would have to give this year.

Colorado is home to numerous mountain peaks, vast shortgrass prairies, and some of the most pristine lands in the country. However, many do not realize that Colorado is also home to the most polluted zip code in the country. That zip code is 80216 in North Denver and is home to the neighborhoods of Globeville and Elyria-Swansea, known by residents as “GES.”

by Sam Killmeyer This past year I, like many people, grew my very first garden. It was small, planted in buckets (I rent), and didn’t produce much, but doing the sustained work of gardening changed me. Plus, it turned out to be an even better coping mechanism than baking bread or playing animal crossing.