At Denver Urban Gardens, our community is everything. Meet Carmen, long-time partner and food access and community advocate.

Introduce yourself and tell us how you’ve been connected to DUG?

My name is Carmen Alcantara, and I’m the Denver Program Manager for Fresh Food Connect. Fresh Food Connect actually began as a pilot in partnership with Denver Urban Gardens, Denver Food Rescue, and Groundwork Denver, based on a simple question: if gardeners had an easy way to share their excess harvest, would they? The answer was a resounding yes.

It’s been a joy to grow Fresh Food Connect alongside DUG, encouraging more gardeners in our community to join in and donate their extra produce to neighbors experiencing food insecurity.

I’m also a gardener! I started gardening for the first time last year, and I’ve been so inspired by the ways Denver Urban Gardens supports gardeners to grow food, build community, and care for the land.

When did you first get involved with DUG through Fresh Food Connect?

I joined Fresh Food Connect in 2023, and DUG was one of the first partners I connected with here in Denver. Our partnership with DUG has been essential in rallying home and community gardeners to support hunger relief across the city. We are so grateful that the DUG team has always been so excited and generous in helping us connect with more gardeners and engage them in sharing their homegrown bounty.

One of my proudest moments last year was accepting the DUG Impact Award for Food on behalf of Fresh Food Connect [at Gather ‘Round in 2024). Being recognized by an organization as respected and community-rooted as DUG was a meaningful honor. The award celebrates the collective efforts of so many individuals, from backyard growers to local garden leaders, who are making a real difference through food justice and local generosity. It was a powerful affirmation of our mission and the strength of our collaboration with DUG.

DUG not only helped found Fresh Food Connect but has been integral to our continued success.  We greatly value your partnership and being allies in community. In fact, 6 DUG community gardens donated 3,500 lbs in 2024 alone!

What value-add does DUG bring to Denver?

DUG nourishes more than gardens, it grows community. Through their network of community gardens, they create welcoming spaces where neighbors become stewards of the land and of each other. I especially admire their sensory gardens and food forests, which invite people of all ages to connect with nature and fresh food. They remind me of childhood moments spent picking capulin cherries and prickly pears, memories that continue to shape my love for food and land today.

DUG also supports home gardeners with accessible, culturally inclusive growing kits, seedlings, and education. Their Grow a Garden and Community Seed Distribution programs break down barriers by providing free seeds and seedlings to thousands of families equipping them to grow food that reflects their cultures and meets their needs.

Beyond gardens, DUG is a strong collaborator, sharing resources, and showing up for partners like Fresh Food Connect. They’re not just growing food, they’re cultivating equity, agency, and resilience across Denver.

How has the landscape of food justice evolved in Denver?

More people are recognizing that food justice is about more than just access, but also about dignity, connection, and building community. Last year, over 1,600 gardeners across Denver signed up through the Fresh Food Connect app to donate their extra homegrown produce. These donations—more than 12,000 pounds—were distributed to 12 local food access organizations, who shared the food through their own hunger relief programs. It’s a powerful reminder that reciprocity—with the land and with each other—isn’t just a value, it’s the way forward.