COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

For years, residents of the west side of town have asked for an additional grocery store near their homes. Adding to this is the fact that food in Routt County costs are the second highest in all of Colorado. National chains like Safeway and City Market have their own formulas that rely on population, demand and transportation costs as to whether they will build an additional store in one town. However, a group of community partners are working together to develop a plan on how to deliver fresh affordable food to the residents of Brown Ranch and the Steamboat community. The group has been exploring a partnership with a potential supplier to build a 15,000 square foot food market.

The CAA Market was started in 2014, and now includes a retail store featuring local meat, eggs, seasonal produce, cheese, honey, and a wide range of value-added products from more than 60 local producers (and growing!). CAA identifies opportunities to support the local food system including production, processing, storage, distribution, and sales of local food.

CSU Routt County Extension is proud to offer youth development, community engagement, and education. With a focus on healthy lifestyles, environments, and community. All their programs are either free or reduced cost. Extension is experienced in developing community gardens, providing agriculture and gardening education and conducting trainings on food preservation and safety, nutrition and family budgeting.

LiftUp serves the community by providing resources and assistance to meet basic human needs and strengthen self-sufficiency. LiftUp is comprised of three departments: Food Banks/Community Support Center, aThrift Store, and a Donation Center. They also have Community Gardens which is comprised of a greenhouse and eighteen raised garden beds, in which they grow food for the Food Bank. Lift up is a part of a grocery rescue program and works with local ranchers and farmers..

Yampatika’s mission is to inspire environmental stewardship through education. They are interested in organizing and maintaining outdoor gardens at the Brown Ranch.

This local foundation has been supporting the Brown Ranch through philanthropic and funding connections.

Feed Your Street is a cooperative growing program providing local organic foods. Using funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), this non-profit focusing on year round container growing for community members.

One of the key services mentioned by prospective Brown Ranch residents, was the desire to have access to medical care, this includes primary care, mental health and dentisty.
These needs were also identified by the Routt County Community Health Needs Assessment conducted by the Health Partnership and Routt County Public Health.
Two medical providers are interested in partnering with the Brown Ranch to provide services.

Northwest Colorado Health supports community wellness. They believe that everyone deserves the chance to achieve their best health. Every day, they partner with individuals throughout Northwest Colorado at their homes, in clinics, and in the community because healthy people and families create a healthy community. They will provide behavioral health, medical and dental services through their mobile unit.

As part of the statewide UCHealth network, the UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center (YVMC) is a non-profit, non-tax-supported community hospital that is dedicated to serving the needs of residents throughout northwest Colorado. They are interested in increasing physical activity that leads to better health outcomes and working at the Brown Ranch to provide a physical green space for outdoor exercise, individual and group classes and yoga.

During the community outreach process to develop the Community Development Plan, YVHA learned that our local workforce who want to live at the Brown Ranch want neighborhood parks near their homes, The Community Development Plan includes 70 acres of parks and neighborhood parks equal to the size of two Emerald Parks; six Stehley Parks; one West Lincoln Park and 125 acres of Open Space.  Here are the groups that want to partner with YVHA at the Brown Ranch to provide youth/adult recreation activities.

The Steamboat Sports Barn (SSB) is a locally based 501c3 and community partnership that includes: Steamboat Springs Youth Soccer Club, High Altitude Basketball, Whiteout Volleyball Club, and Steamboat Youth Lacrosse. The mission of the SSB is to provide a first class year round sports facility for current and future generations. The SSB Board of Directors consists of leaders from the local youth sports community and other business leaders from the Yampa Valley. The SSB is a collaboration of these local youth sports organizations and much of the programming in the SSB will be accessible through the high quality, affordable programs offered by these organizations. In addition, there will be ample time when the SSB is freely open to the public. YVHA is working with the Sports Barn to give them land to build an indoor field house called the Sports Barn along with two full-size astroturf fields for soccer, lacrosse, volleyball and more. This community partnership leverages the assets the groups have raised for the sports facility at no cost to Steamboat Springs taxpayers.

The Boys & Girls Club of NW Colorado is working with the Sports Barn to possibly co-locate their programming for youth to make it easier for kids to access sports programs without needing additional transportation. The Boys and Girls program is also growing and needs a permanent location to serve the kids of Routt County.

Routt County Riders is partnering with YVHA to develop single track non-motorized trails and be part of the planning for the extension of the Core Trail with cycling related transportation amenities like bike lanes, bike racks, commuter paths and signage.

CSU Extension of Routt County wants to offer 4H youth programs.

This group supports youth through mentorship, empowerment, & trusted adult engagement so that they can face life’s challenges & thrive. Partners for Youth is working with YVHA to create permanent affordable office space for youth serving organizations.

RCDC is a group of disc golfers from all over Routt County and the surrounding areas committed to growing the sport in the region. They are interested in creating a community free disc golf course somewhere on the property.

Friends of the Yampa’s mission is to protect and enhance the environmental and recreational integrity of the Yampa River and its tributaries, through stewardship, advocacy, education and partnerships. They want to work with YVHA on the restoration of Slate Creek. The Colorado Healthy Rivers Fund has already given YVHA a $20,000 grant to restore the creek.

The mission of the YVSICT is to protect and enhance water quality, trout habitat and riparian areas of the Yampa Valley and adjacent drainages in northwest Colorado, and to educate the public and enhance awareness of environmental water issues. The YVSICT has worked successfully with local, state and federal governments, as well as other non-profits and local entities. This group is interested on working with YVHA on the Slate Creek Restoration.

Yampatika Outdoor Awareness Association is interested in partnering with YVHA at the Brown Ranch to provide environmental, outdoor learning and food security education. They are also interested in finding an outdoor space for camps and to operate a daycare in the summer. They are interested in organizing community events and workshops that educate about natural systems and environmental issues; as well as organizing volunteer days for gardening, clean up, maintenance and other improvements.

Yampa Valley Sustainability Council YVSC is a nonprofit organization based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. They work as an organization to find ways to connect knowledge to actions that build a more sustainable and resilient community. This starts with finding common ground, core values and places of connection, to collaboratively create initiatives that sustain the rich cultural and natural heritage we treasure. They lead programming across five priority areas including Waste Diversion, Energy, Transportation, Resilient Land and Water and Community Engagement, all anchored in strategies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resiliency to projected changes in the region. YVSC worked on the Community Development Plan and environmental sustainability priorities and will continue to partner with YVHA on environmental stewardship at Brown Ranch.

With close to 200 non-profits in Routt County, there is always a demand for office space to provide programs and conduct administrative duties. Over 15 non-profits that are part of the Human Resource Coalition and the Arts Council are interested in collaboratively working together to develop an agreement with YVHA to find space for a Non-Profit Center at the Brown Ranch.

A number of artistic programs want to provide art opportunities to the residents of Brown Ranch and become integrated in the new neighborhood including: Young Bloods Collective, Undiscovered Earth and Steamboat Creates.

Working with non-profits with expertise in providing services for people with special needs is essential to the success of  Brown Ranch. Here is the community organization interested in working at Brown Ranch.

Horizons works in partnership with families and communities to expand opportunities for individuals with, or at risk of, developmental disabilities. They are interested in creating a day program space as well as programming which would include early intervention services 0-3, family support services & case management; kids day programs; and supportive Living Services for 18+ years; and a host home for adult foster care.

NWCCI The Northwest Colorado Center for Independence supports people with disabilities and seniors by connecting them with providers of housing, transportation, employment, assistive technology, access to benefits and independent living services. They are interested in partnering with YVHA to provide housing for workers/residents with specific individual needs.

Yampa Valley Autism Program provides resources and direct services to individuals and families living with autism or other disorders to cultivate their abilities and maximize quality of life.

In addition to the workforce housing that Brown Ranch will provide, there are a number of non-profits interested in partnering with YVHA to ensure that individuals in crisis have a safe place to live while empowering them to move to the next chapter of their lives.