Jay's Capital Campaign Fundraiser for Ekar Farm

Ekar Farm is a 14-year-old nonprofit that serves marginalized communities and communities with limited food access throughout the Denver metro area. 

Ekar connects people to community, and community to the earth by growing sustainably produced fruits and vegetables and working with several partner organizations to distribute the food and provide community programs and education. Ekar’s work focuses on repairing our food system and the environment.

Rooted in the Jewish vision of creating a more environmentally sustainable, socially just, and spiritually connected world, we believe these values and these tasks are EKAR, a Hebrew word that means “the most important thing.”

Ekar is a focal point for Coloradoans to unite around issues of food security, environmentalism, and urban farming. Each year, Ekar commits to growing 20,000 pounds of produce to alleviate hunger and create a more sustainable food system, using sustainable organic methods such as using drip irrigation to conserve water use and mulching and cover cropping to restore nutrients to the soil.

Ekar connects thousands of people – of all ages and all faiths, Jewish and non-Jewish – to cultivate a better food system. Through garden-based programming, holiday celebrations, and acting in solidarity against systems of oppression that impact our environmental and social well-being, Ekar’s work is to leave the land in better condition than we found it and build community.

Moving a farm is not easy. Moving Ekar is more complicated because of our unique services and the importance of adhering to our values.

Ekar is relocating from its current 1.5-acre farm to a larger space on the campus of Shalom Park, an assisted living center in Aurora. Our new site has 2.86 acres and will provide more space for crops and education, as well as opportunities for intergenerational programming. Additionally, it will allow us to better serve food-insecure communities that are geographically closer. Our new community has an average household income that is 50% lower than our current location, with a larger proportion of people living at or below the poverty level compared to the current location in Lowry.

This move will significantly increase Ekar’s community impact. This larger site will allow for greater food production, more community gardens, and greater distribution of food and seeds to partner organizations serving those in need. Finally, the larger location will support enhanced educational programs through a new education center, improved accessibility for intergenerational activities, and provide infrastructure for future growth. 

Ekar’s new space will be available starting on October 1, 2024. To get the farm running, we need financial support to:

•Work the soil and the irrigation system (includes grading, drainage, cover cropping, soil tests/remediation, and installing underground water lines).

•Build sheds (these are to store tools and equipment and build an infield pack and temporary wash area for produce).

•Build fencing  (this is to delineate certain areas and for safety considerations).

•Deconstruct the current farm and move everything (includes removing sheds, hood houses, and moving all supplies and materials from the Lowry location).

•Build a greenhouse (construction will include building out the interior with tables, irrigation systems, climate controls, and a classroom area).

•Build an intergenerational garden space (includes efforts to make the space ADA accessible).

Ekar’s long term vision is to:

∙Construct a Food Hub for permanent cold storage, have a wash/pack area, classroom space, indoor bathrooms, and storage. If financial goals are met, Ekar will add solar and efforts to make it a LEED certified sustainable building.

∙Create, modify, and implement new educational programs – With more space, Ekar can customize collaborative and educational environments for different age groups within the community.

∙Plant all four seasons – the greenhouse and food hub are needed to expand.

∙Plant fruit trees, perennial herb gardens, flower beds, and annuals.