Why Urban Oasis Exists
Addressing Food Insecurity, Environmental Injustice, and Economic Inequity
Urban Oasis Cooperative was born from a simple but urgent truth:
Northern Denver — like many urban areas — faces overlapping crises of food insecurity, environmental pollution, and economic disparity.
Our work is about more than fresh groceries — it's about creating a replicable model for community resilience, health, and opportunity.
The Challenge of Food Deserts
Northernwest Denver neighborhoods are classified as food deserts — areas where affordable, healthy food is out of reach for many families.
Key Facts:
Nearly 1 in 5 children in Denver experiences food insecurity, with rates even higher in marginalized communities.
Residents often rely on processed, nutrient-poor foods from convenience stores and fast food outlets.
Studies show proximity to full-service grocery stores correlates directly with better health outcomes and lower rates of chronic diseases.
Environmental Pollution and Poor Air Quality
Communities in northern Denver experience some of the worst air quality in the region — with serious impacts on health and climate resilience.
Key Challenges:
Poor air quality drives high rates of asthma and respiratory illness, particularly in underserved neighborhoods.
Urban heat islands raise local temperatures by up to 7°F, intensifying health risks during extreme weather.
Lack of green spaces accelerates pollution and reduces community well-being.
Our Response:
Urban Oasis integrates urban agriculture, green infrastructure, and smart environmental design — cooling neighborhoods, capturing pollutants, and improving community health.
Economic Disparities and Limited Opportunity
Systemic inequities have left northern Denver with fewer pathways to economic stability and wealth-building.
Key Facts:
Marginalized communities in Denver face significantly higher unemployment rates than citywide averages.
Many jobs available are low-wage, precarious, and lack career advancement opportunities.
Our Response:
Urban Oasis Cooperative empowers local ownership and creates green jobs — in agriculture, food distribution, education, and entrepreneurship — ensuring that economic benefits stay within the community and build generational resilience.
Establishing a Community Food Hub
The West Area Plan calls for community-led food facilities that increase neighborhood self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on vehicle travel for basic needs.
We will create a flagship cooperative grocery store that serves as a central hub for fresh food access, health education, job creation, and community gathering — rooted right here in West Denver.
Our Local Commitment: Advancing the West Area Plan
Urban Oasis Cooperative directly supports the vision and priorities outlined in the City of Denver’s West Area Plan — a community-driven blueprint for a healthier, more resilient West Denver.
Through our flagship grocery store, mobile food markets, and urban agriculture programs, we are addressing several urgent goals identified by West Denver residents.
Expanding Fresh Food Access
The West Area Plan highlights the critical need for more accessible, affordable, and culturally relevant fresh food options.
Our mobile markets will operate in five West Denver neighborhoods prioritized for intervention, bringing healthy groceries directly into public gathering spaces, affordable housing complexes, and community centers
Growing Local Food Production
West residents strongly advocated for more community gardens, urban farms, and food forests to promote health, sustainability, and food sovereignty.
We will integrate community gardens with our mobile markets and future marketplace — offering growing space, education, and support for local residents to cultivate their own food.