Heather Pridemore: Tania Baxter is the Chief Operating Officer at Bondadosa, a social enterprise with a mission to revolutionize the food ecosystem. With over 25 years of experience in operations. And a profound expertise in leadership. She has dedicated her career to making a positive impact on communities. Tania was named 2020 leader of the year by her agency and serves as a member of the advisory board for the UCCS executive women in leadership program.

Fluent in Spanish, Tania leverages her language skills to establish a deeper connection with the community. She is driven by the belief that positive change begins with providing communities, the tools and resources they need to thrive. Through her work, she aims to continue making a lasting impact on the well-being of individuals and families.

And I could not be happier that she's here. Welcome to the show, Tania. I am so happy you could join us. How are you today? 

Tania Baxter: Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm doing really well. Thank you. Yeah. 

Heather Pridemore: Awesome. Awesome. And now you and I haven't known each other for very long. We actually met during a coffee chat and we just kind of hit it off.

Tania Baxter: Yes. Yeah. Um, I find that sometimes it's, you can very easily click with people, right? And I feel like that happened between you and I when we met. We were just going to have coffee. There was a group of women there. Um, and for some reason, yeah, I felt like we connected right away. 

Heather Pridemore: Totally. Plus you complimented my eye shadow and I'm always a sucker for a good compliment.

Tania Baxter: It worked. It worked. Yeah. 

Heather Pridemore: Totally. Totally. Now, Tania, I, Yeah. You know, I think we could start our conversation just about anywhere, but what I think is so interesting about your story is really doing it in a very chronological order. And so I thought it would be like a good place for us to start for you, just to talk a little bit about growing up and you're originally from California, correct?

Tania Baxter: Yeah, so I was actually born in a very small town called Calexico, California. It's a border town, um, to Mexico and Southern California, but I really grew up, um, in Los Angeles County. So I grew up in East L. A. When we moved from Calexico to Los Angeles, it was a big move. My dad had, um, just gotten a big job as a warehouse manager and he moved his whole family up there. Unfortunately, that company closed. The owner passed away, um, and the company closed and my dad found himself unemployed. So we ended up, uh, in the projects of East LA and that's really where my childhood was. 

Heather Pridemore: Now tell me a little bit more about your mom and dad. And, I, you know, I think sometimes we underestimate the power of how we grow up. And so could you talk a little bit more about, not only the environment but what your parents instilled in you during that time in California? 

Tania Baxter: Yes. So I think, um, during that time, it must have been a very difficult financial struggle for them both. But I think this is where their personalities show up for me, right? Because being a young little kid living in, um, East Los Angeles and in the projects, I didn't even realize that there was a financial struggle because of the harmony that they created within the home. I would say for sure. I would say that I had a very happy childhood, and it wasn't until I was older that I realized, oh, we, we didn't have a lot of money, right?

Like, you don't know that when you're a little kid, especially when your parents instill those things into, instill into you what's important. At the time, you don't know that they're lessons. Um, my father was a very content human being. He was very happy just to have his family around. Um, and he kind of lived, you know, day to day, um, live for today was what he would always say.

My mom on the other hand was very ambitious. From a very young age, she had a leadership quality within her that kind of showed up everywhere. And so she was always involved in school. And then, um, you know, she was involved in, in our, uh, upbringings and, and always there with us. So the quality time was really important to her.

Um, but there was also, um, that dynamic where she wanted to continue to pursue things. And my dad was happy and content that his, you know, that he, that his family was together there. One of the things that I learned from them is I got kind of the best of both worlds, right? I understood what it meant to go after the things that you really want.

Um, and at the same time, enjoy it. Enjoy the journey as you go along, which is what my father did. My mother, when, um, we moved to Los Angeles, did not speak English. Um, she didn't have a language, um, and she didn't have an education. She, in Mexico, went to, um, just elementary school and then worked in the home with her family. But she decided at that point, um, because of my father's situation that they were in with him losing his job, that she was going to do something about it. So she started to take ESL classes, which is English as a second language. And so she learned how to speak English. Then she decided that maybe she should get her GED, which she did. And so on and on, she went to a junior college. Um, she now has two master's degrees in education. That kind of, I think, instilled in me the understanding that women can do whatever it is that they want. And she was a prime example of it. 

Heather Pridemore: Yeah, there's so many powerful, like, lessons from that story, Tania. I mean, I think about things like continuous learning. I think about self-advocacy. The fact that she wasn't willing to sort of just accept the situation for what it, you know, for what, where she was at, but she was willing to take steps to move forward and make it into something that she wanted. And that is such a powerful message in general, but I can only imagine how amazing that was to watch as a young girl.

You know, it's interesting to me. that your parents, they're not really opposites. I would say they're nice compliments to each other. You know, you have your mom who's like super ambitious. And then you have your dad who's kind of living day to day, enjoying the, the simpler things in life, but also, uh, finding the joy in everyday life. And I think that there's something really beautiful about that, especially in today's culture where. You know, we're so hustle culture all of the time and to grow up in an environment where you saw the ambition, right? It wasn't like your mom wasn't ambitious. She was showing you what it meant to be ambitious, but your dad on the flip side was also showing you what it meant to kind of revel in the moment. And so there's something really, um, really beautiful about that. 

Tania Baxter: Yeah, it was, uh, yeah, it was just something, you know, the joy, the everyday joy. 

Heather Pridemore: One of the things that I found really interesting when we first met, Tania, and you were telling me about your childhood and how you kind of ended up here in Colorado because we both live in Colorado. And you mentioned that you had had a husband and then you took your daughter off to college and there was this big transition period for you. Could you tell me a little bit about that experience and kind of what unfolded? 

Tania Baxter: Yes, such a pivotal time for me to be honest. Um, yeah. So I'll back up a little bit and say that, um, I actually am widowed. So I lost my husband when my daughter was a sophomore in high school. She was 16. Um, and so that happened quickly. Uh, Peter died of kidney failure. Um, and we only had nine months between the time that he found out and the time that he passed away. Um, and so in that time, um, with my daughter at the age that she was, it was really difficult for me to kind of break down or have time to spend, um, you know, worrying about things.

I felt like things had to keep moving. Um, especially because we didn't know what the outcome was going to be for him. And so sadly he did pass away. I was 39. He was 40. At the time I had three of my parents, grandparents still living. You know, I just felt like it was too soon. It was too, I was too young.

He was too young. Um, yet I had a daughter that I had to continue to get through high school and then, um, off to college and to make sure that she was okay. Luckily, she's very resilient, um, and went on and did great things. Um, she got accepted to Cal State. I'm sorry, to San Francisco State, um, and she was really excited about that.

And so it was a hard time for me too, to think like, well, now, you know, she's going to go away also. So my husband is gone. My daughter is gone. Um, and so I made my way to San Francisco with her to drop her off. Um, and so that was one of the most difficult, um, things that I've ever done in my life is to leave her there at college.

Um, and so I remember driving home and just a mess, just an absolute mess, right? Like all this time, you know, I, I always tell people you spend most of your adult, uh, life, um, creating these children to be independent, self-sufficient, you know, confident, and then they become that. Right? Like, how dare they?

She was so excited that I wanted to make sure that she didn't see, you know, my worry and how, although I'm sure that she sensed it. So then I get home. I'm in Southern California and I wake up one morning by myself in this huge house. And I say, well, I'm not a wife anymore. And I'm not really parenting anymore, you know, because my daughter's away, like, like what now?

Who am I? Right? Right. I don't have those titles anymore. It was so different. Those had been my titles for so long. And so I decided I would do what every normal, I guess, 39 year old woman would do. I decided that I would go and live in Italy for a little bit. So I made my way to Italy, uh, by myself. I was there a little over a month.

I had, um, taken some time off of work. So while Vaylene senior year in high school, I, I, I wasn't working. And so I had the freedom now to really just go and be there. So then I made my way to Italy, um, which was like life changing for me. All that time that prior to Peter passing away was so stressful in a way that, um, you know, you don't have time to think about it, I guess.

Um, you just have to keep moving and then, um, dropping Vaylene off. And then I didn't really give myself time to grieve. And I, you know, I, I didn't know how to grieve. I didn't understand it. And I really closed myself to be honest. to anyone trying to give me advice on it. Um, that's just my personality. I thought like, I'm going to do this my way.

And so then, you know, it'll happen when it's supposed to happen. Well, that trip was when it was supposed to happen. I went up there and I had been to Italy before. So I had done most of the touristy things. You know, I had seen all of that. I really wanted to just isolate myself for a little bit. So I found a little town called Panzano in Chianti County, which Chianti, which is one of the wine countries up there, which was really nice. It is not my fault that I ended up there during the wine festival month. And so I had any glorious time there. It was, um, so sudden, you know, in the mornings I would get up, I was running a lot during that time. And I would, you know, run in the vineyard in the mornings and then have pasta for lunch. Um, in Panzano, it's such a small little town, but they still have the siesta. So between 12 and two, the whole township. down and everyone goes home and naps and eats and I did that. So I spent some time doing that. Um, I spent some days just crying, just, just crying.

You know, I just, I didn't realize how bad I needed to just release that. Right? And so then I did that. I was able to befriend a woman there who was, wanted so bad to be my friend because she was wanting to practice English. And so everything, everyone there spoke only Italian, so it was really nice. And so then she showed me around and she took me to, you know, all the wine festivals and we met her friends and we went into the town and so it was a really good time.

Another thing that happened is that I met a chef there that I didn't know was on one of the Netflix shows. It was very famous. I met him first, had a good time, and then realized that he was somebody famous. I have a brother who's a chef, so I called him and said, you know, do you know Dario? And he was like, are you joking? Like, of course. And so then I watched the Netflix documentary on him, which is great. Everyone should check it out if you can. He really spent some time explaining to me what he, he was a butcher and he explained to me the processes that they use there, um, to make sure that livestock was, you know, healthy and that it did in a humane way. And it was so interesting. Um, so that was fun. 

I also, uh, for the first time found a gentleman there that was a lot of fun to hang out with, and I had not done that for over two and a half years. I hadn't really spent any time with anyone else. Um, and so that was really nice too. I feel like it was what the romance novels are written about, right?

And so very stereotypical, you know, woman shows up in Italy and, and does that. But it was really something that I needed. Like, I feel like my soul really needed that. Um, and I'm glad I took the trip. 

Heather Pridemore: I have a very, um We'll call it a similar story, but Paris was my city, and the kind of stuff that, you know, novels are written about, so, a lot of alone time, I met an attractive gentleman, and, uh, yeah.

Tania Baxter: Yeah, I just feel like, yes, those things happen, you know, those things really happen. It's so nice to have experienced that. Um, I do say that, and you say that you traveled alone too, I do say, and I want to share this with everyone. Everyone should travel internationally alone, at least once. Like everyone should do it at some point in your life. It's life changing. Um, so yeah. 

Heather Pridemore: And I think after you do it, after you do it, you'll want to do it again. It's such an interesting experience to travel alone. And something you said I resonated with personally from my own experience, but you talked about how you had already been to Italy once and you'd kind of gotten the touristy stuff out of your system.

And so you were really able to just like kind of be present and, and sort of there in the experience, kind of like your dad's sort of, you know, contentedness and like, you know, kind of the day to day, just enjoying it. And my experience is actually very similar. I, spent a period in Paris long enough to kind of get all the touristy stuff out of the way, and then the rest of the trip was really as close to, you can probably experience as someone who doesn't speak the language, isn't from, you know, doesn't understand the culture and all the nuance, but as close as you can get to what it might feel like to live there, you know, when you're there for just like a short period of time.

And there's something really fantastic about that experience that's kind of hard to explain. It's something you literally have to just go and do for yourself. Right. 

Tania Baxter: Agreed. Yes. Yeah. It's just like you can imagine your life there and I did. I have to say like I did. Right. Um, but my daughter was still in college so I knew at some point I had to come back, but you need enough time there. Yeah. You know, to really take in, you know, the culture. So that was nice. 

Heather Pridemore: It sounds like that period was healing for you. You met a lot of different people. You worked through some of your grief. Um, I thought it was noteworthy earlier when you were talking about grieving, you mentioned that like, and I'm paraphrasing a little bit here, but you mentioned, like, you didn't know how to do it, and you were sort of like, I'm just gonna do it my own way, and I thought that was really interesting, that you had that sort of conscious thought, that like, I'm just gonna do this my own way, in my own time, and then you did, and I think there's also something really powerful when we're able to have enough awareness, especially in such a dark moment, right? Like, to have enough awareness about what we need and what's like right for us. So after this big trip to Italy, you then decided to move to Colorado. So tell me about that. 

Tania Baxter: I just returned from my trip and realized that I wanted to do more. with myself. I didn't just want to have a career. I didn't just want to have a paycheck. Like, I wanted something, uh, where I could impact community. Um, and so that was my thought, uh, that I would just head out to Colorado and find what I could. Um, and so then I just packed up my clothes and my Cuisinart toaster, I made my way over to Colorado. Uh, I didn't have a job. I didn't have a place to live. I didn't know a soul. And yet, I knew it would be okay. Like, I would figure it out. I'm like, well, we'll take a chance, you know? I can always come back. I can always return if it turns out it doesn't work out. 

And so I got here and, and I opened my computer and I said, all right, I'm going to look for a job. And I arrived in October, uh, before the pandemic. And then I, I didn't even know what to look for. So I said, actually, I just arrived. I'm going to give myself some time to acclimate, to figure out the city, um, to see what it is that I'm looking for. And then I'll try again. And so it took a couple of months to just kind of, you know, get to know the town, get to know the people, find out, um, you know, things that I had not been used to in California, like driving in the snow, all of those things that people here take for granted were so new to me and so exciting at the same time.

After a couple of months, I decided that I would find a nonprofit to work for. Now, I didn't have any experience in nonprofit. So I went to a temp agency. I walked in and said, you know, I, I'd like to, uh, start at a nonprofit, um, in any position that you have. So I don't have any experience in nonprofit, um, but I, um, I'm a quick learner, um, semi intelligent. And I work really hard and they said, okay, we'll see what we can do. Well, that evening they called me and said, there's a job available. It's for tomorrow morning. If you'd like to start, I said, yes, I'll take it. What is it? They said, would they need a bilingual receptionist, a temporary bilingual receptionist. I said, great, I'll do it. Um, and so then I showed up. And they gave me this complicated phone, and I didn't really know how to use it, and it kind of made my way around it. Um, and so I was taking messages and forwarding calls, um, you know, not really well right at the beginning, but I got the hang of it. So then I worked at that nonprofit as a bilingual receptionist, um, and then six months later, uh, they offered me the program director position.

And so I was making my way, kind of understanding, uh, the way the non profit world was working and we ended up doing really well. So then six months later, they created the deputy director position for me, and so now I was second in command of the entire nonprofit agency, um, and just kind of, you know, giving it my all, um, and so that's kind of where it started here in Colorado for me.

Heather Pridemore: So we have to take a step back because you are an absolute badass. You just told me that you moved to Colorado, you didn't know anybody, you didn't have a job, you didn't have a place to live, right? You just kind of breezed over that part. Then, you're like, I decided I wanted to have a certain kind of job, and I was just like give me the job. I'll figure it out. So we have to take a moment just to acknowledge the fact that you were, you set your sights on things and then you just, you had like a bias towards action. And I'm curious, Tania, where does that come from? 

Tania Baxter: I think that comes from my parents and my upbringing. It really is rooted in me, to be honest. I do think that that, um, you know, it comes from two things. My father always said to me, you know, like be original. If nothing else, do things your way, do, don't do what everyone else is doing, um, which is probably, you know, why I decided to travel and, uh, move and, and make these moves. 

And then secondly, my mother, right? And we've talked about this earlier. Remember she got here, she didn't speak a word of English. And so now she has two master degrees. And so. There, I've seen that. So I guess it's also that I've seen it. Um, and maybe that's what, uh, does it. 

Heather Pridemore: There was something else that you said. I kind of alerted to it because it's something that really like is common in my own belief system.

But when you were talking about making the move to Colorado, you said that, you know what, I can always go back. And I think sometimes We feel like the decisions that we make carry a greater weight than they actually do, right? Like, we make decisions with this sort of underlying perception that once we make the decision, that it cannot be undone. We can't go back. We can't change course. Like, once we've made the decision, we have to just keep going. But you didn't say that. You were like, I decided I could go to Colorado, and if it didn't work out, I could always go back. And is that also a, a mentality that you learned from your mom and dad? 

Tania Baxter: I think so.

Also, I feel like, um, yeah, nothing is that final. And maybe it was the fact that I had lost my husband, and I understood what final was. Right? Like, when Peter passed away, it was just like, that is final there. You know, I've never known something that, um, heavy, that deep. And so it also helped me understand that life is to be lived and not to be afraid of it and not to take chances because there's going to be a time where it is that final. Um, and so then, you know, if there's limits, it's only the ones that you set for yourself. 

Heather Pridemore: That's beautiful.

I, um, I also was curious. So, you know, you came to Colorado and you talked about wanting to work in not-for-profits. Can you talk a little bit about the work that you were doing before you came to Colorado? 

Tania Baxter: I worked, um, for an event production company that focused on running events. And so then I was able to work nationally and internationally on, uh, production, logistics, um, and operations. That really is my background. Those things, that skillset really was helpful actually for my role at the nonprofit because I entered that nonprofit right before COVID hit. And so then when COVID hit, there was all this opportunity to really stage things, to really, um, you know, put productions together so that we could help more people.

At the time I was working, um, on a drive thru food, uh, line. That turned out to be the biggest in Adams County, and then in Denver County, and so I'm really proud of that because I think that so there's moments in your life where you know that you were put in a place for a reason, and that was one of them.

I remember when when that was happening. Um, I felt like I could feel the impact that we were making with these programs. And so I think the yeah, Anything that you ever learn, anything that, um, any skill set that you pick up, regardless of whether or not, um, you continue the same path, um, are lessons learned and skills that you take with you forever.

And so that, yeah, that was really great to be able to serve in that way. 

Heather Pridemore: So what I hear you saying, Tania, is that you had this background in like operations and logistics, doing these runners events, and then you came to Colorado. You're working at this not-for-profit, you start as the receptionist, and within six months you're like deputy director. And then we get hit with a global pandemic, and all of a sudden you find that you have all these transferable skills from when you were doing logistics and operations for the running events, but now you're applying them to helping the community through a global pandemic. 

Tania Baxter: That is correct. Yes. 

Heather Pridemore: Okay. Okay. I just wanted to make sure we took a minute to really, like, recognize your accomplishments. Because you just, you just blushed right over them, you know? And I think it's amazing. You know, it's such an amazing story, and I'm so inspired by the level of innovation that you talked, you know, that you've shared about transference of skill set.

But what I think is really interesting for people listening is that so often we get to this point in our life where we want to make a career change, but we don't realize how much of what we used to do can be applied to maybe something that we want to do in the future or some new role that we want to take on.

And. You know, I subscribe to what you said about how sometimes it's about just being in the right place and at the right time and, you know, there's sort of a, uh, I don't know, a mystery to the universe. But at the same time, I also subscribe to the fact that you have to, like your mother, self-advocate and, you know, build your own momentum and like not necessarily like accept your circumstances.

And so I just think that there's some really powerful lessons in your experience, even just that transition from like living in California, doing the work you were doing there, and then coming to Colorado and doing something totally different. And if I haven't already said it on this podcast, I did tell you in person. I think you're an innovator. I think you have an innovator's mind. I think you are someone who sees all the pieces and puts them together in new and novel ways. And that is why you produced a food, you know, uh, drive thru that was the biggest that Adams County and Denver had ever seen. 

Tania Baxter: No, I appreciate it. Yes, I appreciate it. And it is sometimes hard to, um, you know, as you pointed out, kind of not just gloss over those things. And it's not that you gloss over them, but I think it's just kind of what you instinctively feel, right? And then you do. Um, and so for me, seeing those families, we were, we were serving 900 families a week through these drive thrus for a while.

Um, and so I remember there was a lot of press. Right. And so I was new in Colorado and now I had, you know, um, the, the news channels reaching out to me. I was on the news a couple of times when I was on the Spanish news channel. And it was, you know, it's always been a little bit hard for me to be in the spotlight in that way. Um, and I think, you know, I need a spokesperson to do it or something, you know, just like I'll make it happen. And then someone else speak on it. Um, but thank you for saying that. Yeah. 

Heather Pridemore: 100%. Now, so these, these market nights, this, uh, drive through food program that you were doing, you won an award from the city of Northglenn for your efforts.

Um, so you won a program award and that's also the reason that you got the 2020 leader of the year award. Correct? 

Tania Baxter: Yes, that is correct. Yes. Um. I, um, did win those awards. It was really nice to be recognized. Um, and also one of the things that I remember most about that time are the families who would see me sometimes out and, and thank me, right?

So all of the awards are really nice, but also when you're in community and you see those people and they thank you, I feel like that was more meaningful to me too. Um, but yeah, it was nice. It's nice to be recognized. 

Heather Pridemore: Now, you're doing some pretty special things at your current role. So I just want to recap what I said at the top of the, the episode. You are currently a Chief Operating Officer at Bondadosa. Can you tell me a little bit more about your current role and the organization that you're working for? 

Tania Baxter: Yes. Right. So, um, while I was doing the work with the pandemic, I did, uh, meet some of the great people at Bondadosa. They had a similar mission, right?

They, um, are always working towards creating a new food ecosystem. And so it was more than just feeding people, their mission really was to feed people quality food. That for me was really something that I admired, that I thought was so important and needed to be, you know, brought to the forefront. The pandemic was able to bring that a little bit more to the forefront, but there has not been enough work with that.

What I mean by that is, remember my husband died of something that stemmed from diabetes. My father also passed away this year, uh, from complications of diabetes. And so I know that these chronic diseases, um, are in our communities. And so a lot of the things, um, that I noticed is that yes, there are food pantries. Yes, there are, um, you know, like places where people can reach out and receive, uh, food, but it's not very nutritious. I noticed that about Bondadosa from the very start when we, when I was working with them, because I was collaborating with a lot of teams, um, the produce that they were bringing, uh, was organic.

They were the first company that I saw that was doing that, um, during the pandemic. Being at the nonprofit, I did get to learn a lot about the nonprofit world and realize the way that you can really make change is to be in a for profit, um, you know, company, because then you're not dependent on grants so much and you aren't kind of restricted on the types of programs that you create.

And so I reached out to Bondadosa and said, you know, I'd like to join the team. They had seen some of my work. And luckily. They were happy to have me. And so they brought me on as their Chief Operating Officer. We had already worked, like I said, we had collaborated in a lot of programs. And so I was familiar with them and they were familiar with me.

Um, and so then I really feel like from the beginning, this is kind of when I, you know, returned from Italy and was, you know, contemplating like what the next step would be. And when I said, you know, I want to help more in community. I felt like Bondadosa was a perfect fit. That's exactly what I was looking for.

Heather Pridemore: There's this really interesting. Um, thread, I think that runs through your story, Tania, because, you know, working with runners, you were around people who are constantly putting good nutrition in their body. You've seen the impact very up close, right, with your husband and your father about the, uh, impact of not eating nutritionally dense food and not having a good diet and, and how that can contribute to chronic illness and and then during the pandemic, you also were feeding the community.

And so there's this really interesting, just like thread of food. Oh, and let's not forget Italy where the butcher was telling you about like, you know, sustainability and, and, you know, proper, um, uh, development of agriculture. And so I just like, there's just this really interesting thread of food through your entire story.

As you were going through this journey. Were you seeing the connection? Did you feel this calling about nutrition and you know, feeding the community or or was it just something that kind of like came together over time? 

Tania Baxter: In hindsight, I could see how those things came together. At the moment, it, it, it wasn't a plan.

It was, um, that I now, um, because I had this freedom to kind of work wherever I needed and to do the things that I was passionate about, kept being called to this point, right? 

Um, A couple other things too is, um, that on top of, uh, the community, right? I mean, nutrient dense food. I feel like also, um, food shouldn't be a luxury. And I mean, quality, high quality food shouldn't be a luxury, right? I think the piece is kind of, fell into place for me. And it's just how you believe things, right? I feel like things are put in my path so that I know which way to go. And so those things actually came to me. And then that's how it happens.

Heather Pridemore: You're getting ready to launch something new at Bondadosa, something that's really exciting. Can you talk a little bit about what this new program is and, you know, what that's going to look like? 

Tania Baxter: Yes. So I think, uh, what I'm most excited about, um, coming up in 2024 with Bondadosa is our creation of the Kindbox, what we're calling the Kindbox.

With the issues and the barriers that I've spoken about, about not having nutrient dense foods in community, there's got to be a way that we can fill that gap, that we can figure this out. I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of local farmers now, um, and just local growers in general, right?

People in Colorado are doing great things. Um, they're, um, you know, coming up with new farming techniques, the sustainability of small farms. Big farms have always had it, but these small farms are also, um, the people who want to do good. Um, so the, the Kindbox is a home delivery grocery box that is, um, delivered weekly with solely Colorado local products.

And so there will be a weekly delivery for the subscribers, and the profits from that will actually be funneled into communities. So we'll sell the Kindbox direct to consumers, and then the profits from there will give the same quality food to low income communities. And we're excited to launch that now we've seen a lot of, um, programs where local is becoming right more popular, which is great.

I think that it just helps us all in general, but the social impact of having the profits funneled into community is really what excites me, knowing that we will be able to provide that same high quality food to the low income communities is something that I'm really proud of. Yeah. 

Heather Pridemore: That's awesome. What I would love to do, um, Tania, is make sure that we put information about Kindbox in the show notes so that if anybody is in the Colorado area and would like to participate in the program once it launches is able to sign up for their Kindbox.

So I think it's a it's a amazing program. And I, you, I noted something that you had written down, um, in your bio. You provided 1. 2 million meals to families in need over a two year period. And so what you're saying is that this Kindbox will help continue to be able to provide not only food to you know, people who are living in like the suburbs, let's just say, but also to other people who are in need and that way that they're also getting the same farm to let's say table, you know, uh, nutritionally dense food.

Tania Baxter: Yes. That's right. And the, so there's two programs. The Farm to WIC program is a program where we, um, have a home delivery service for WIC recipients, which is women, infant, and children, um, who receive produce weekly, fresh produce from, uh, local farms. And so that, that produce is harvested and delivered to their home within two days of harvest.

Just the quality is incredible. So we're really proud about that. And then the 1.2 million meals that we served really happened during the pandemic. And the reason that that's coming to an end is because, um, the funding has ended for COVID and another way that we can continue some of this, um, of the work all the way across is to, yeah, have the Kindbox launch and then take those proceeds and have them be the, um, the revenue stream for these programs.

Heather Pridemore: Well, we're coming to the end, Tania, and I always want to know, if someone was like too long, didn't listen, what is the one thing that you'd want them to take away from this conversation? 

Tania Baxter: I would like to just be a reminder to people, um, that things don't have to be, traditionally what you expected your life to be. I think choose your own path. Um, that is, that's what I would like people to be reminded of. To find the things that, you know, give you joy, that you're passionate about, um, and that will help you get up every morning. 

Heather Pridemore: That's great. Thank you, Tania. It's such a important reminder. I think that, um, there are two key elements to what drives us every day, and that's purpose and passion.

And so I think you've really hit the nail on the head. I just wanna say thank you again for being on the show. Uh, such a spectacularly like unique perspective and you know. I think especially this time of year, we're all thinking about food and diets and health and all of these things. And so I think there's like a timeliness to this conversation. So thank you again for being on the show. 

Tania Baxter: Thank you. Thanks for having me. This has been a lot of fun. 

Heather Pridemore: The biggest thing that stood out to me about Tania's story was this thread of nutritional density throughout her experience. Impacted her childhood growing up in the projects of East LA. It impacted her husband and his diabetes.

It impacted her trip to Italy when she met the butcher. And then ultimately when she moved to Colorado and she helped with the market nights during the pandemic and now as COO of Bondadosa. And I think there's something really interesting about looking back at our childhood and our life experiences and finding those connection points.

And you know, the saying hindsight is 20/20 well, I think that this example, this story really emphasizes how, when we look back at our lives, we can often find these connection points. And so that's why I think reflection is so important and a certain level of self awareness that comes from that. I think that Tania really illustrates how impactful and meaningful that can be when you can make the connections and when you can find your passion and purpose sort of wrapped into one.

The other thing that I really feel inspired by Tania's story, is this second act. She had a whole life in California with a husband and a daughter as a wife and a parent. And when that shifted for her, she recognized not only that she needed something else, and that's why she took the trip to Italy to take the time to grieve and to heal, but she looked at that moment and she thought, well, what do I need now?

What do I want for myself? And she made a huge move. She took a leap of faith and moved to Colorado with no job, no network, um, nothing. She just, she just took a risk and I think that is so magical, um, to take a risk. But when I, when I circle back to these, these connections to her childhood, what I think is really cool and what I think a lot of us can relate with is that there are things from growing up that impact the people who we become.

And in Tania's story, that came a lot from this juxtaposition of her parents. She had her dad who was so content in the joys of the day to day and creating this family life. And there's something really special about that. And then on the flip side, she had this example of her mom who took a look at their situation and said, I don't accept this. And she learned English and she went back to school and now she has two master's degrees. And what a phenomenal story of resilience and determination and self advocacy and continuous learning. I know you hear those words every episode, but they're my favorites. Um, and so I just think that there's so many small acts of rebellion in this story.

So many moments of caring for ourselves, listening to our intuitions, carving our own paths, defining our own trajectories. And so I hope that you found Tania's story, um, and career as inspiring as I do. So can't wait to see you on the next episode. Please leave us your comments. Subscribe and we will see you next time.

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