TopStory
Durango Food Bank volunteer Jeff Pratt helps put together a food box on Tuesday. With the increased need in the community since the COVID-19 pandemic, the food bank is in need of a larger facility./ Photo by Jonathan Romeo
Banking on a dream Despite what you’ve heard, Durango is still a real town with real problems by Jonathan Romeo
A
local nonprofit whose mission is to help people is in need of some help itself. Since 1977, the Durango Food Bank has helped La Plata County residents struggling with food insecurity, distributing to nearly 12,000 people every year through home deliveries, curbside pickup and an on-site self-select pantry. But the nonprofit’s mission to provide enough food so no one in the community has to face food insecurity has expanded in recent years, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Durango Food Bank has always struggled with limited space at its facility in Bodo Park, said Executive Director
Sarah Smith. But once the pandemic thrust the food bank into a larger role, it became clear that location, which is about 2,000 square feet, was not enough. However, with available space limited – and not cheap – the situation for the food bank is tricky and uncertain. Yet, Smith said the nonprofit is making moves to find a solution. “Our space has been grossly inadequate for some time, and we’ve known we needed a bigger facility,” Smith said. “But the COVID situation really made it clear this is not working. We need a significant amount of square footage to meet our demand.” Food to the people The Durango Food Bank serves a niche of working families and seniors in La Plata
" "# ! $
8
n June 9, 2022
#
&!
!! ! !"#
" !
" "
County. Unlike Manna, which provides meals (among other services) to people experiencing homelessness, and federal assistance programs like SNAP, nearly all the food bank’s clients have jobs or are on Social Security. Yet, it’s still not enough as they struggle to pay for rent, bills and food. Or, Smith said some clients have simply fallen upon hard times, whether they just recently experienced a family emergency, are in debt or have an unexpected expense. For years, the Durango Food Bank has been a place they can come for a few months until they can get back on their feet. “We don’t see clients over and over; we bridge that gap for them during a difficult time,” Smith said. “These people are not on corners begging; they’re not at the food stamp office. They’re working along-
% "! #
#
!
!!
"
telegraph
side us, socializing with us, but struggling behind the scenes.” Many of the people who come to Durango Food Bank have steady jobs and make what should be a livable wage (which also makes them ineligible for food stamps). In fact, Smith said many of the food bank’s clients come from major employers in town. But the sheer cost of living in Durango, plus inflation and soaring housing prices, can make it difficult to get by. “People are set up for failure, because the expense of living is so great, so even if they work all they can, they still struggle,” Smith said. “Our clients are truly our neighbors who are struggling and don’t necessarily want their struggles to be visible in the community.”
