Partnering with Communities...

Colorado is a state comprised of communities in economic transition. Both large and small communities have begun to look seriously at alternative industries that maintain or improve their standard of living. This examination has become even more critical with the out-migration of families from metropolitan to rural areas. The economic health of both urban and rural communities depends on the creation of jobs and new sources of wealth. Extension educators have and will continue to play an important role helping people cope with critical local issues--issues that often focus attention on the interdependence among citizens and families in both urban and rural environments.

Inter-agency Partnership Helps Communities Face Economic Challenges

Small and rural communities continually face economic challenges. Business retention and expansion, tourism development, in- and out-migration, and the need to diversify agriculture and other income sources are a few of these challenges. Rural communities in six southwestern states are receiving an economic boost from the national Communities in Economic Transition initiative. This partnership among land-grant universities, citizen action teams, government agencies and local organizations, pilots projects that help rural communities establish and maintain a diverse economic base and promote local entrepreneurship to boost employment, income and public revenue figures.

The program has provided several counties in Colorado with economic assistance. For example, Extension staff in the Grand Junction area helped develop a "Community Kitchen" incubator program--to link value-added product development with workforce skill enhancement. The program is operated through the Western Colorado Business Development Corporation and helps women move from welfare to work while turning Grand Valley produce into a more valuable product. Each year, about 350,000 pounds of overripe peaches--more than 10 percent of the crop--are thrown away or ground back into the soil because of imperfections that prevent their sale. The women, trained as food processors, worked with local peach producers to turn this unsalable produce into canned and dried products. As a result, niche-market, special-label products were sold, food processor trainees gained job skills and the incubator kitchen has created entrepreneurial interest from vegetable growers, limited-resource audiences, small-business networks and other agencies.

Educational Collaborations Provide Hope To Thousands of Urban Families

Extension Consumer and family education agents working in Colorado's Front Range communities have been addressing the critical issue of strengthening Colorado families. They provide educational programming to nontraditional Extension audiences through relationship and partnership building with agencies, organizations, businesses and boards that reach metropolitan area families. These important connections have resulted in more than 400 collaborative partnerships and educational opportunities for thousands of families and Consumers along the Front Range.

Parent-education programs designed to strengthen communication and family relationships have impacted 8,200 families and benefitted 14,000 children throughout the metropolitan area. Programs such as Partners in Parenting, Confident Parents/Confident Kids, Dare to be You and Building Strong Families have been presented in collaboration with day care centers such as Decatur Place and Warren Village, churches such as Calvary Temple, women's centers such as Denver's Mi Casa Resource Center and police and sheriff's departments, shelters, support centers, family resource networks, parent coalitions, district attorney's offices, victim's assistance programs and many other organizations. Working together, they are able to offer educational opportunities to assist young women and men, single parents, homeless families, and high-risk audiences with life-skill training, career exploration and planning for the future with confidence rather than despair.

For more information, contact your local Colorado State University Extension office.

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