**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROJECT AIMS TO UNDERSTAND WHETHERRESIDENTS LIVING ABOVE AND BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL (FPT) FOR FOOD ASSISTANCEHAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ACCESS TO HEALTHY, SAFE, AND AFFORDABLE FOODS THAT PROMOTEHEALTH AND WELL-BEING. WE AREESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDINGACCESS TO HEALTHY, SAFE, AND AFFORDABLE FOODS THAT PROMOTEHEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN HIGH COST-OF-LIVING AREAS, ESPECIALLY AMONG RESIDENTS WHO STRUGGLE TO GET ENOUGH FOOD.CURRENTLY, MORE THAN 18 MILLION AMERICANS LIVE IN AREAS WITH A COST-OF-LIVING 40% HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. WITHIN COLORADO, HIGHER COST-OF-LIVING CITIES LIKE DENVER, BOULDER, AND SKI-TOURISM TOWNS IN THE MOUNTAINS BOAST MEDIAN HOUSING PRICES FROM $600,000 TO $6.5 MILLION.OUR PROJECT IS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS BASED IN ONE HIGH COST-OF-LIVING REGION KNOWN AS THE PARACHUTE TO ASPEN CORRIDORIN COLORADO. THISREGION IS REFERRED TO AS RESORT-RURAL WITH WORLD-CLASS SKI RESORTS SURROUNDED BY RURAL MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES. HIGH HOUSING COSTS, SEASONAL WORK, LENGTHY COMMUTES AND LIMITED ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY FOODS ARE ESPECIALLY SALIENT FOR THE 130,000 RESIDENTS LIVING THERE.TODAY, A FAMILY OF FOUR MUST REPORT INCOME AT OR BELOW 130% FPT($34,068) TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP),LEAVING MANY TO RELY ON FOOD PANTRIES OR OTHER COPING STRATEGIES (LIKE FORGOING MEDICAL CARE) TO OBTAIN NUTRITIONALLY ADEQUATE FOOD. A FAMILY OF FOUR IN THEPARACHUTE TO ASPEN CORRIDORREGIONMUST EARN $96,674 (377% FPT) TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT, OR TO NOT RELY ON FEDERAL OR SOCIAL ASSISTANCE.HOW HOUSEHOLDS CAUGHT IN THIS $60,000 INCOME GAP BETWEEN SNAP ELIGIBILITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY USE THEIR RESOURCES IS CENTRAL TO UNDERSTANDING THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS WITHIN THIS POPULATION.THIS PROJECT WILL SURVEYRESIDENTS WHO STRUGGLE TO GET ENOUGH FOOD (REGARDLESS OF INCOME) ABOUT WHAT THE FOODS THEYEAT AND HAVE ACCESS TO IN THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES. WE WILL EXPLOREHOW EASY IT IS FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO EAT AND ACCESS HEALTHYFOODSACROSS DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLDINCOME LEVELS (BOTH ABOVE AND BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL). WE WILLASK PEOPLE TO REPORTWHERE THEYGET THEIR FOOD TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT FOOD STORES, PANTRIES, SOUP KITCHENS, ETC. AS WELLTO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHICHFOOD SOURCES BEST CONTRIBUTE TO HEALTHY, SAFE, AND AFFORDABLE FOODS THAT PROMOTEHEALTH AND WELL-BEING. FINALLY, WE WILL ASK RESIDENTS TO TAKE PHOTOS OF IMAGES FROM THEIR DAILY LIVES THAT BEST DEMONSTRATE THEIR CHALLENGES TO MEETING THEIR BASIC NEEDS. RESIDENTS WILL ANNOTATE WHAT THE PHOTOS MEAN TO THEM AND WILL DISCUSS THESE PHOTOS IN A GROUP SETTING. THE INFORMATION GLEANED FROM THESESURVEYS, PHOTOS, AND CONVERSATIONS WILL BE USED TO INFORM A 5 YEAR REGIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESSACCESS TO HEALTHY, SAFE, AND AFFORDABLE FOODS THAT PROMOTEHEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN THE AREA. AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, CURRENTLY MORE THAN 18 MILLION AMERICANS LIVE IN MAJOR URBAN AREAS WITH,A COST OF LIVING 40% HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. URBAN POPULATIONS (87% IN 2020) ARE PROJECTED TO CONTINUE TO GROW, REACHING 89% OF THE TOTAL US POPULATION BY 2050. AS OUT-OF-STATE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN HOUSES INCREASES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING LOCATIONS EXPERIENCE INCREASED GENTRIFICATION; TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO REPLACE, RATHER THAN AUGMENT LOWER WAGE JOBS; AND WOMEN FORGO RETURNING TO THE WORKPLACE FOR CHILDCARE IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES, WE EXPECT THIS POPULATION OF THOSE STRUGGLING TO GET ENOUGH FOOD AND ENOUGH HEALTHY FOOD, ABOVE POVERTY TO GROW. RESEARCH INFORMING POLICY FOR THIS GROWING PROBLEM IS LACKING. INFORMATION COLLECTED VIA THIS PROPOSAL WILL HELP TO INFORM POLICY FOR THE SHORT-TERM AND LONGER-TERM FOR THIS OVERLOOKED POPULATION.