Community Partnership Provides Ready-to-Eat Chicken to MRC Food Share

This video captures the beginning of a powerful local partnership bringing healthy, ready-to-eat meals to neighbors served by Mountain Resource Center (MRC)—and strengthening our regional food system in the process.

Through support from Jefferson County Public Health, Rolling R Farm & Ranch received grant funding to invest in on-site chicken-processing equipment, making it possible to raise, process, and prepare heritage-breed chickens entirely within the local community.

The result: over 100 fully prepared meals made from locally raised chicken, potatoes, and carrots—smoked, packaged, and ready to heat and eat.

To complete the project, Rolling R partnered with the Hispanic Culinary Institute, where chefs developed recipes and culinary students transformed the locally raised chickens into nutritious meals.

This collaboration not only provided high-quality protein to MRC clients—many of whom are seniors on fixed incomes or families with young children—but also created workforce development and hands-on training opportunities for aspiring chefs.

The project highlights what’s possible when farmers, educators, public health leaders, and nonprofit organizations work together:

• Strengthening local agriculture
• Shortening the food supply chain
• Expanding access to nutritious, easy-to-prepare meals
• Supporting workforce and culinary education
• Building long-term, community-centered systems

What began as a single delivery is designed to be replicated again and again, ensuring that local food, local skills, and local partnerships continue to support neighbors across our mountain and foothills communities.