2022 Spotlight Projects

Manna's new Resource Center & Food Market - $10,000

Fort Lewis College Senior Seminar Projects - $10,000

In 2021, Manna drafted and executed a new 3-year Strategic Plan, which included a significant model change, as a result of a better understanding of community needs. Then, in 2022, Manna rolled out an integral part of the plan and remodeled the soup kitchen building into a Community Kitchen with a Take-out Window/Food Market and a Resource Center, which created the infrastructure needed to support the expansion and essential elements of Manna's new programming. This radical shift enabled Manna to offer food, comprehensive supportive services, employment & housing navigation and case management to the underserved in an equitable model for years to come. 

Moniker fully supported Manna's logical evolution into a more complete, one-stop service provider to the underserved. Accordingly, through G.E.A.R. Works, we structured a three-part grant that covered extra costs incurred with starting the new programming, as well as a matching portion to support the Manna Garden Program.

Each year at Fort Lewis College, senior engineering students take a Senior Seminar Design course as a part of the major requirement. Students experience the integration of technical knowledge through an open-ended, comprehensive design project which simulates an engineering project environment, including design, building or simulations, testing and verifications, project management and oral and written reports. Students are split into teams, which have unique focus areas and design objectives. Funding for the projects is critical to a successful outcome, and it goes without saying, the more funding students have to work with, the more fulfilling and enriching the experience. 

Moniker board and staff were truly amazed at the level of difficulty with these projects and the quality of deliverables that students were achieving. We therefore made a contribution to the 2022-2023 academic year senior seminar projects to help students reach a little further and achieve a little more. 

The Good food Collective at Colorado Food SUmmit -$2,500

In December 2022, members of The Good Food Collective and staff from other Southwest food and agriculture organizations travelled to Denver for the Colorado Food Summit. This summit exists to inspire diverse food systems stakeholders to build shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our food system. Sessions dive into important agriculture and food systems conversations and showcase innovative projects from across the state. They range from land and water policy to effective strategies for mitigating stigma in the work of hunger and nutrition security. 

Moniker Foundation firmly believes in supporting professional development when possible, especially for rural organizations. Needless to say, we jumped at the opportunity to provide funding for Southwest organizations to attend. With help from the Good Food Collective, we supported travel, lodging and attendance for eight Southwestern representatives. Organizations represented include: Southwest Center for Independence; Pine River Shares; Brightwood Farms; La Plata Food Equity Coalition; and the Good Food Collective team. The feedback from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive and we were elated to have helped with their continued learning and professional growth.

Other 2022 projects Completed

FORT LEWIS COLLEGE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM - $24,000
We continued our partnership with Fort Lewis College to increase the paid internship opportunities available to Fort Lewis students and help local businesses attract and retain young talent following graduation. 

MERCY HEALTH FOUNDATION ROOTS OF HEALTH FOOD SECURITY INTERN - $5,000
An additional year of funding for a Roots of Health intern to help expand the reach and efficacy of the great new program.