By Lucinda Greene, Colorado Master Gardener Program Coordinator and Assistant Horticulturist

Despite the restrictions of COVID, Arapahoe County Extension Colorado Master Gardener volunteers can be proud of all they accomplished for the citizens of Arapahoe County in 2020. These efforts were especially welcome in this challenging year.

Almost 60,000 citizens in Arapahoe County (9%) are considered food insecure¹. During 2020, volunteers grew 4,466 pounds of produce and donated it to local food banks. Our volunteers contributed almost ten percent of the state’s total effort in the Grow & Give program. Educational outreach is another high-impact area where CMGs provided a significant contribution. CMGs helped over 1,000 citizens from a remote help desk, educated tens of thousands at the Colorado Garden and Home Show, and engaged thousands more through Lunch & Learn classes, electronic media, and print media.

Thanks go out to our wonderful volunteers for staying the course in 2020. Their adaptability helped continue to deliver important programs to the Arapahoe County community.

Reference: ¹Feeding America. (2020). Food insecurity in Arapahoe County.