2024
IMPACT STORIES
One reusable bag program, countless impacts!
Behind these numbers are the stories of local hunger relief organizations and countless food-insecure individuals and families who have been positively impacted by the King Soopers and City Market Fight Hunger bag program.
Throughout 2024, the PS It Matters Team has conducted numerous interviews with benefiting hunger relief organizations. Out of these efforts, we have selected eight stories in which organizations share how the Fight Hunger bag program has advanced their work to combat food insecurity. The enclosed story collection highlights benefiting organizations, illustrates the program’s impact on local communities, and shows King Soopers and City Market shoppers how something as simple as buying a reusable bag can make a difference.
Through King Soopers’ and City Market’s dedication, together, we have made meaningful strides toward creating communities free of hunger and waste.
Reporting data from program inception through November 30, 2024
Food Bank of the Rockies is making huge strides toward combating food insecurity in Wyoming and Colorado, providing enough food for 196,000 meals every day. King Soopers has supported this organization through the Fight Hunger bag program.
Tell us about Food Bank of the Rockies.
Food Bank of the Rockies was founded in 1978. At that time, founder Kathy Hackwith Groth was collecting bread that was about to be discarded and delivering it to neighbors in need. Through her work, she was able to get more and more food into households that needed it most. She also worked to pass Colorado’s Good Samaritan Law to protect establishments that donate food in good faith.
So, we started with this model of sustainability centered around the idea of making sure any surplus, quality food went to people who could use it This was the start of the Food Bank, and from there, it’s grown and evolved into an organization with a culture of abundance and possibility Our current mission is to ignite the power of community to nourish people facing hunger Food Bank of the Rockies works with over 800 Hunger Relief Partners throughout all of Wyoming and roughly half of Colorado to meet the need for food assistance We are the largest hunger-relief organization in the Rockies and have the largest service area of any Feeding America food bank in the contiguous United States.
To do our work, we rely on partnerships and collaboration. Beyond our Hunger Relief Partners, we have a network of food rescue partners, including King Soopers and its parent company, Kroger. In fact, more than half of our inventory is donated food; Kroger alone donates more than 5 million pounds of food to us annually. These collaborations ensure people will get not only the food they need but also the food they want Not every community member wants the same type of food So, we try to bring people foods that are both nourishing and familiar For example, we source dry beans, rice, tortillas, masa flour, dragon fruit, and fresh pineapples for our Latino community members Our goal is to focus on fresh and culturally responsive food
These collaborations ensure people will get not only the food they need but also the food they want.
What services do you provide to the community?
Food Bank of the Rockies provides enough food for 196,000 meals every day through several signature programs. First, we have more than 70 mobile pantries that travel across Wyoming and Colorado to areas where people in need might not have access to grocery stores or affordable, high-quality food. We participate in Everyday Eats, a national and state program, to provide food to income-eligible older adults. Through this program, we have sites for participants to pick up food boxes and, in certain counties, we also deliver food boxes to older adults who are homebound
Food Bank of the Rockies provides enough food for 196,000 meals every day through several signature programs.
Our Food for Kids Program provides children with nutritious food after school and during summer months at various meal sites. To ensure these kids are able to get a good meal, we partner with the Boys & Girls Club and other community organizations and schools. Additionally, we have a weekend food bag program called Totes of Hope™. This program provides kids with 7-9 pounds of food for the weekend – enough to make a full meal for a family of four, plus nourishing snacks In addition to food, these bags include recipe cards to encourage kids to cook with their families
We also have various programs made possible through our network of Hunger Relief Partners There’s no way that we, as one organization, would be able to reach so many people, but through the support of our Hunger Relief Partners, we reach every pocket of need.
What sets Food Bank of the Rockies apart from other hunger relief organizations in your community?
A lot of our work is large-scale, similar to a grocery store or retail partner Because of our scale, we have an immense amount of purchasing power. This means we’re able to purchase pallets and truckloads of food to keep costs down. We’re also able to leverage our partnerships with retail partners like King Soopers through our Food Rescue Program. Anytime there’s a surplus amount of quality food, we have the capacity to take it and distribute it to our many Hunger Relief Partners. Together, with our partners, we are all in the ecosystem of hunger relief, and our organization acts as the bridge between resources.
Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
Going out to our mobile pantry distributions and meeting people has been amazing I was at a food distribution recently where we had items like masa flour and corn husks These ingredients ensure families in the community can make familiar items, such as tamales
After seeing the items, one mother shared with me what food means to her She said, “Food is love It’s sharing meals and being together ” Her family was struggling with the increase in inflation, so their monthly food budget was only stretching so far. Getting those unique items and knowing she could prepare a meal her family loves meant so much to her.
We all have to pay rent, medical bills, utilities, and so much more each month. So, food ends up being the place where people who are struggling have to cut costs. It was so moving to see her come to our mobile pantry and get food that was both nutritious and meaningful to her and her family.
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
I am most appreciative of how everyone at Food Bank of the Rockies embodies our mission We are all there day in and day out to ensure that people in our communities are nourished Throughout the pandemic, we operated a frontline workforce nonstop because we knew people needed food
We were able to be there to meet that need for food in our community during that critical time. We made sure everything was sanitized and socially distant to keep it as safe as possible for our staff and volunteers, who are our most valuable resource. I am proud that we were able to continue operating to meet the increased need.
What do you want people to know about Food Bank of the Rockies?
Our supporters and volunteers make the work we do possible. We have seen an increased need for food assistance ever since the pandemic – even now we’re seeing higher numbers of community members needing food due to things like high inflation and high cost of living Nothing is back to how it was before COVID
The only way we’re able to meet this increased need is through the support of community members Through donating time and financial support, the community makes our work possible They fuel everything we do I am so grateful for every community member who adopts our mission and makes distributing food to our neighbors in need possible.
The only way we’re able to meet this increased need is through the support of community members.
How are you using the funds you’ve received from the King Soopers Fight Hunger bag program?
With times like these, our mobile pantries are serving more individuals than we were last year. Getting these funds is critical because we are now spending three-times as much every month on food compared to before the pandemic The funds will support our mission and help us meet the increased need in our communities Every $1 donation helps provide enough food for three meals
Is there anything you’d like to add?
The only way to truly understand food banking is to come out and see it for yourself. I urge anyone interested in learning more about us to volunteer with us To me, there is nothing more thrilling than seeing so many community members working side by side to get food out the door It really is such a joyful experience To anyone interested in learning more about Food Bank of the Rockies, visit our website to learn more about how we function in the landscape of hunger relief
Erie Community Food Bank has been providing food assistance to community members since 1994. King Soopers has supported this organization through the Fight Hunger bag program.
Tell us about Erie Community Food Bank.
Erie Community Food Bank started in 1994 when Erie was a much smaller community. A group of businesses and community members came together to build our organization. The town donated the land, and then churches, businesses, and individual community members compiled money and resources to start Erie Community Food Bank. We have been in Erie, serving our local community ever since.
Our mission is to feed the residents of Erie It’s simple We want to feed people and families and serve anyone in need
It’s simple. We want to feed people and families and serve anyone in need.
What services do you provide to the community?
People can visit our food bank once a month to get the groceries they need for themselves and their families. After coming to Erie Community Food Bank, most people are able to leave with at least a week’s worth of food for themselves and their families. In addition to food, we keep toiletries in stock for anyone who may need them.
What sets Erie Community Food Bank apart from other hunger organizations in your community?
We are the only one! Of course, there are other organizations in nearby cities, but we are the only hunger organization in Erie
We also don’t have any financial requirements for people to benefit from our services We don’t care how much money any of our clients make If someone feels like they need food, we have it and want to give it
Tell us a story that illustrates the good work your organization does.
What has been particularly meaningful to me is that quite a few people have returned to our organization, wanting to help. After benefiting from our services, they return in a couple of years and want to volunteer or donate. It really is such a wonderful testament to the work we do.
Another element of our work I am proud of is our work with schools and the community. We don’t have anyone on staff or receive any funding, so everything we do is because of our volunteers and donations. Through the generosity of our community, we are able to keep our organization running and our shelves stocked.
Through the generosity of our community, we are able to keep our organization running and our shelves stocked.
One of our annual fundraisers is called Black Rock Gives Back For this fundraiser, we partner with Black Rock Elementary School around Christmas At night, the students sing Christmas carols, and in support, the parents and community members who come to watch bring bags of food All of these donations are then loaded into a huge U-Haul and brought to Erie Community Food Bank The truck comes so full that you can’t even see the floor of the truck It is just packed with bags of donations! Once it arrives, local youth groups even come to help unload it.
All in all, it just shows the range of community support that we receive. Everyone does their part to help our organization feed the people in Erie who need support. It really is such a community event, and that is the work I like most.
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
When I started at Erie Community Food Bank, we packed boxes of groceries to give out to our clients. We would pack them and hand them out without being able to offer many choices.
We started looking at how we could improve what we offer. To do this, we began to look at how other food banks operate. Ultimately, we decided to adopt a new model where the people who come into the food bank can shop for themselves We set up shelves and ensured everything was stocked and accessible so that people could shop for their own food
We quickly realized how much more meaningful this new way of operating our food bank was Instead of choosing what we give out, the people who come to our pantry can decide for themselves what they and their families want to eat We are really proud of this because it empowers people who, unfortunately, may not always be treated with this same level of dignity. They don’t have to accept whatever we give or feel like they are being needy. Instead, they get to pick exactly what they want and take it home.
What do you want people to know about Erie Community Food Bank?
We are all volunteers. We want to thank these volunteers and our community for their constant support. As we work to feed people in Erie, we run through donations faster than you could imagine. We appreciate all the time, food, and money our community members give to further our mission Our community is incredibly generous, and we are so grateful
We appreciate all the time, food, and money our community members give to further our mission.
How are you using the funds you’ve received from the King Soopers Fight Hunger bag program?
As an organization, we are always trying to do more Since we rely so heavily on donations, we will be using these funds to buy some of the fresh products that are harder to get We want to work towards always having butter, cheese, and meat in stock at our food bank We get a lot of meat donated from King Soopers, but funds like this help us ensure we can consistently provide these types of products Dairy and meat tend to be much more expensive, so we definitely appreciate this donation We are grateful to King Soopers for thinking of us
Prioritizing dignity and care, Community Table creates a stigma-free environment where individuals have access to a variety of food programs, human services, and financial assistance. King Soopers has supported this organization through the Fight Hunger bag program.
Tell us about Community Table.
Community Table began formally in 1982 as the Arvada Food Bank. It was established by a concerned group of church members from various churches in Arvada who witnessed food insecurity within our community. As our organization expanded, we broadened our scope beyond providing food to include financial assistance and human services. Through these programs, we aim to empower our families to achieve self-sufficiency.
With the introduction of these new services, we underwent a rebranding process in 2014 and changed our name to Community Table Initially, we anticipated operating for two to five years and then closing once food insecurity was eradicated However, that scenario has not come to pass
Now, after 42 years of service, we continue to serve the community Our reach has extended beyond Arvada to encompass the entire northern metropolitan area, including Denver, Edgewater, Golden, Lakewood, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, and other smaller communities.
Despite our extended reach, our staff remains modest, comprising only 13 individuals. Our ability to provide essential services is greatly strengthened by our dedicated volunteers. Annually, we are supported by over 300 volunteers who assist us in our mission. Nevertheless, in comparison to similar organizations, our staff size remains relatively small.
Our ability to provide essential services is greatly strengthened by our dedicated volunteers.
What services do you provide to the community?
We have four distinct food programs. First, our Client Choice Food Store is stocked with both perishable and nonperishable items, including fresh eggs, milk, meat, canned goods, and produce. Families have the freedom to select items based on their preferences, reducing food waste.
Secondly, we provide a sack of nutritious food for children on weekends, especially during school breaks when food resources may be limited. These sacks contain fresh produce, canned goods, snacks, and ready-to-eat meals. We also distribute weekend bags to high school students who may be unsheltered or food insecure
Our third program is our mobile pantry service, which delivers food to members who are unable to visit us in person due to health reasons Additionally, we collaborate with Project Dash to facilitate food box deliveries
Our newest program provides unsheltered community members with daily sacks of food, including fresh produce and canned goods, along with personal care items like shampoo and soap, distributed twice a month.
In addition to our food programs, we offer human services. This includes specific financial assistance programs for rent, deposits, medical copays, transportation, and other necessities, aimed at preventing homelessness and supporting those in need during financial crises.
We also operate a GED program with 13 enrolled students. The GED testing process has become more rigorous and we provide support by covering the cost of books and testing. Volunteer tutors and local restaurants contribute by providing meals during Thursday tutoring sessions Students receive incentives such as $25 gift cards for each GED test passed and a $100 gift card upon completing the series of tests We also host a graduation ceremony to celebrate their achievements
We have established partnerships within the community to enhance our services For example, one partner assists with obtaining driver’s licenses, while another offers free laundry services for our clients. We are also introducing a shower truck to provide hot showers and distribute new socks, underwear, and personal care items. Additionally, we have a mental health kiosk where clients can privately consult with a mental health provider.
Our partnerships are integral to our operations, allowing us to expand our service offerings and better serve our community through collaborative efforts with other nonprofit organizations.
What sets Community Table apart from other hunger organizations in your community?
At Community Table, we strive to cultivate a stigma-free environment to empower individuals and guide them toward a brighter future. Our dedicated staff and volunteers are committed to fostering a dignified atmosphere for all clients. We understand that seeking assistance can be challenging, especially for those experiencing hardship for the first time Therefore, we greet everyone with warmth and sincerity, offering our support without judgment Dignity is at the core of our mission
Dignity is at the core of our mission.
Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
After investing many hours with volunteer tutors to prepare for and take the test, one of our clients has successfully passed all four of the GED tests and has become our first graduate. On April 4th, we hosted a graduation ceremony, complete with cap and gown. The beauty of this story lies in the fact that this particular graduate already has a job lined up with a welding firm. All they needed was a GED to take that next step.
This success story speaks volumes about the transformative potential of our program and the dignity and respect we aim to extend to our clients Our staff and volunteers are thrilled to support our clients and witness their growth
We are inspired to see several former clients return to support us, whether through donations of food or financial contributions They are eager to pay it forward and assist others who are in need, just as they once were.
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
We are proud to have distributed 1.6 million pounds of food last year, reaching over 100,000 individuals. Through our Feeding the Future Backpack Program, we provided 17,376 sacks of food to children.
What do you want people to know about Community Table?
At Community Table, we are dedicated to combating food insecurity through compassion, collaboration, and community involvement. We engage with churches, businesses, schools, and the broader community to foster participation. The generous donations we receive from this caring community enable us to deliver our services with compassion and dignity. It’s no easy task, and truly, it takes a village.
At Community Table, we are dedicated to combating food insecurity through compassion, collaboration, and community involvement.
How are you using the funds you’ve received from the King Soopers Fight Hunger bag program?
The $3,600 we have received so far will enable us to purchase food for community members experiencing food insecurity Thanks to our strong partnership with the Food Bank of the Rockies, we can acquire a substantial amount of food at reasonable prices.
This program is truly wonderful and we are delighted to be a part of it. Witnessing people shopping with their bags brings us joy, knowing the purpose behind their purchases. We extend our gratitude to King Soopers for supporting our mission and aiding us in caring for our community.
Is
there anything you’d like to add?
Through a partnership with the city of Arvada, we will be relocating to a new building that is nearly twice the size of our current space. While our new location will be in Adams County, we remain closely connected to Jefferson County
We are currently seeking architectural and construction services for this new building, which will allow us to expand our lobby and provide indoor seating for visitors instead of having them wait outside. Additionally, we will have the opportunity to expand our store, partner offices, and warehouse. The inclusion of food delivery dock doors will greatly facilitate the process of receiving food donations.
In the near future, we will launch a capital campaign to raise the additional funds needed for this exciting new chapter This move signifies a significant step forward for Community Table and reflects our commitment to serving the community for the next 42 years
Growing Home strives to create a thriving, healthy, and equitable North Metro Denver through providing food, housing, parenting education, and lifelong stability services. King Soopers has supported this organization through the Fight Hunger bag program.
Tell us about Growing Home.
If you live in North Denver, Growing Home is a trusted community partner For many years, our programs and services have supported people experiencing immediate and long-term barriers to stability and success We share this commitment in our mission statement: In partnership with the community, Growing Home advances equity in food, housing, parenting, education, and lifelong stability to create lasting change for the future. We’re a community-centered and volunteer-supported nonprofit that works to create a thriving, healthy, and equitable North Metro Denver.
Our organization started in 1998 as a result of a chance encounter. Our founder, Kathleen Drozda, a nurse at St. Anthony North Hospital, met a woman living in her car with her dogs. Kathleen asked the hospital director if she could bring the woman in until they could find a long-term housing solution, and he agreed From there, we got our start as the Adams County Interfaith Hospitality Network, which would then become Growing Home
Congregations and hundreds of volunteers joined the effort to offer transitional housing to local families. They donated, cooked, cleaned, moved furniture, and helped children with homework. These initial volunteers were proof of our organization’s founding idea: Families can come together to take care of other families.
As we came to understand that homelessness is a multifaceted issue, Growing Home’s work began to shift toward prevention. The organization evolved into a network of programs and services that foster stabilization as a first step to creating a thriving, healthy, and equitable North Metro Denver.
Today, our community-centered approach, wraparound services, and advocacy work drive action in food, housing, parenting, education, and lifelong stability to create lasting change for the future.
What services does your organization provide to the community?
We take a unique community service approach to our mission by partnering with residents and those with lived experience as we blend direct services, long-term programs, resource navigation, and community-centered action to accomplish our mission.
We are committed to supporting self-sufficiency and stabilization for low-income individuals and families experiencing barriers to success. We want to help them stay housed, access food, acquire parenting and life skills, and thrive. Through case management, for example, our Housing Stability Program offers assistance with rent, mortgage, and utilities to prevent eviction.
We are committed to supporting self-sufficiency and stabilization for low-income individuals and families experiencing barriers to success.
We also show our compassion and love with food. Our food pantry is open five shifts a week and provides participants with a choice of nutritious and culturally relevant foods Our volunteers and community also operate our community garden, which grows fresh produce to be donated right back to our food pantry.
Additionally, Growing Home helps children start their journey to academic success. Through Parents as Teachers, our national parenting education program, our parent educators visit families twice a month to work with parents, caregivers, and the child to play activities that foster development Educators assist parents in monitoring the child’s milestones and connecting them to any resources they may need to ensure the child is ready for kindergarten and learning We offer collaborative coaching to ensure parents have long-term support for root cause analysis, goal setting, and the journey to financial self-sufficiency
Once needs like rental funds and food are met, the conversation shifts to assisting participants in analyzing where they are and how to move forward. Some require job skilling, and others are looking for higher-paying opportunities. The conversation can also involve debt management, medical bills, or mechanical repairs.
In the last five years, Growing Home has refined its programs and services with community input to transform and customize its support for disadvantaged people and people of color Once a family stabilizes, our programs naturally progress to help them focus more on leadership and community-level success. We work to connect and support our community through our collection of food and housing justice, community organizing, advocacy, and leadership initiatives.
What sets Growing Home apart from
other nonprofits in your community?
Growing Home is there for families in North Denver. The rising cost of living and gentrification have heavily impacted this geographic area
Growing Home’s programmatic offerings have evolved thanks to input from partners, stakeholders, community residents and participants. As a multi-program organization, we strive to be responsive to critical community needs, such as housing stability, food insecurity, parenting education, and lifelong stability skills. Our equity approach is not limited to basic needs because our array of programs and services go upstream with participants to support them in identifying how they got to this point of crisis, planning goals to lift them beyond this event, and supporting them with the resources needed to achieve self-sufficiency and thrive
As a multi-program organization, we strive to be responsive to critical community needs, such as housing stability, food insecurity, parenting education, and lifelong stability skills.
Our participants tend to be young working families with small children. Most of our clients are Latinx or people of color. The majority of Growing Home staff are fluent in Spanish and represent this population.
Please tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
Parents as Teachers is a great example of how our organization changes lives. We continually receive letters of support that show our impact.
A recent letter from a mother shared that she had signed up for Parents as Teachers at a farmer’s market. She was worried that her 3-year-old son was struggling with his speech but didn’t know how to help him. Growing Home’s parent educator began visiting their home and working with the parents on play-based learning activities.
At the same time, the educator listened to the mother’s concerns and conducted an assessment of the child’s developmental milestones and skills As they continued their home visitation and development monitoring, the parent educator proceeded to connect the family to a speech therapist In a few months, the child demonstrated significant progress, not only in his speech but also in learning levels.
Ultimately, it’s a powerful story about how a parent learned to become a child’s teacher and helped their child progress on their kindergarten preparedness journey.
What
is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
It’s hard to identify just one, but I take pride in being a small part of helping and instilling hope. We are that little bit of push that a participant might need to continue in this tough economy Sometimes, a little nudge from us can provide that extra bit of hope and help someone who is about to give up.
What do you want people to know about Growing Home?
The Growing Home model has proven successful. We continue to prove it works as we address the immediate needs of individuals and families.
We aren’t transactional. We seek to avoid a revolving door of problems. Instead, we work with participants to discover what led to their crisis and walk alongside them to support their journey toward self-sufficiency with programs and services that match their needs
While our hardworking participants face systematic barriers, they thrive when given the opportunity. Every journey to change and a better future is different. Growing Home’s experience in personal solutions that embrace and leverage each participant’s own lived experience is the most valuable tool in our work.
While our hardworking participants face systematic barriers, they thrive when given the opportunity.
How are you using the funds you’ve received from the King Soopers Fight Hunger bag program?
We are currently seeing a very high demand in our food pantry. So, this extra funding from the Fight Hunger bag program will allow us to purchase additional items, such as milk and eggs, and to increase our capacity With these funds, we will be able to listen to our participants and let the food they would like to see in the food pantry guide our purchases.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
Growing Home needs a new home. We have outgrown our current space because the need for our services has outpaced the capacity of our limited facility space and restricted funding. Inflation has been increasingly hard on our community, so the demand for housing assistance and food is increasingly and consistently at capacity. Our food pantry space has been maximized, so we have no option to add freezers, staff, or transportation resources We know we could serve twice the number of families with more staff and pantry space.
In 2024, all our efforts are going to center on moving to a new home. We really appreciate the contribution from King Soopers and the Fight Hunger bag program this year. We are so honored to have been selected to participate in this program.
As the only health and human service organization in Northern El Paso County, TriLakes Cares provides a comprehensive range of services to meet the needs of the community.
King Soopers has supported this organization through the Fight Hunger bag program.
Our mission is to empower families and individuals to reach a better tomorrow. TriLakes Cares (TLC) was founded in 1984 as a community-based food pantry. Since then, we’ve expanded to offer multiple services, but food has always been our core service. We are mostly known as a food pantry. However, we are also the only health and human service organization located in and serving Northern El Paso County. Because of this, we are often pressured to offer a variety of products and services to our community. We don’t have the luxury of focusing on one program. Instead, we must offer a wide range of programs to meet the varying needs of low-income individuals and families
Our mission is to empower families and individuals to reach a better tomorrow.
What services do you provide to the community?
For our food services program, there’s no barrier to entry. Anyone who is food insecure can benefit from our food programs. We have a free grocery market where clients can shop like they would at a King Soopers. If you’re not a client at TLC and are just passing through town, we have emergency and traveler bags available so that no one goes hungry.
We offer a Snack Pack Program for children on free or reduced lunches in the school system. We currently send out almost 500 snack packs weekly, with five snacks in each bag, to ensure students have access to snacks. This relieves the financial burden that parents/guardians face over the weekend when their kids do not have the free or reduced meals provided by the school district.
For the November and December holidays, we offer a holiday food option We solicit traditional items, like Thanksgiving turkeys, but we also try to honor different religious communities by considering what they might eat When distributing those food items, we also include grocery gift cards for extra items we might not have available in our market The goal is to make the financial burden just a little bit less so that clients can enjoy a traditional holiday meal with their families
In addition to food, we offer financial assistance and case management programs If people struggle to put food on the table, they probably struggle to pay other living expenses. We collaborate with a local hospital to have a nurse on-site who can assist uninsured or underinsured clients with healthcare referrals, medical counseling, access to free vision, dental and mental health services, and over-the-counter products. Additionally, our back-to-school programs ensure parents don’t have to choose between feeding their families and providing the school supplies their kiddos need. Finally, we host other agencies to offer their specialized services to our client base. Some examples of this consist of legal aid, food stamp registration, mental health counseling, and workforce readiness.
What sets Tri-Lakes
Cares apart from other hunger organizations in your community?
While there are other nonprofits in the community, they do not focus on the breadth of human services that TLC offers. If someone is struggling economically, we’re the best resource in town
Looking at the larger region, what sets our nonprofit apart is our reputation and the way we execute our programs. We provide our services using a very dignified and respectful approach Our market mimics a mini grocery store Our clients go through our market aisles with an actual grocery shopping cart instead of putting items in a cardboard box. They experience a self-choice model, just like at the grocery store Our intent is to deliver a program that could have come with shame but instead is executed in a dignified way. Additionally, not having barriers to entry for food services is a huge part of what sets us apart. If you are in need, please come and get food from us; no judgment is passed.
Finally, in larger cities, you’ll have completely separate places/agencies to get food, medical care, youth programs, and senior assistance With us, it’s all under one roof
Please tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
Occasionally, we can accept donated vehicles and get them into the hands of clients in need of reliable transportation We were working with a family that consisted of a mother and her three children who had recently fled a domestic violence situation. Receiving this reliable vehicle was a major step for this family as they worked towards a better future.
Sometimes,
people come in for food, but a larger story unfolds once they meet with their case manager.
As another example, one of our case managers met with a single mom with Leukemia. She was facing eviction because she couldn’t pay her rent, so she came to TLC to seek assistance. She had lost her job due to layoffs, and her husband had left her and her young child without any financial assistance This young woman was starting a new job in early January, but in the interim, TLC was able to help her stay in her home and eliminate the anxiety of eviction We also gave her a gas card to help her get to her doctor’s appointments.
Sometimes, people come in for food, but a larger story unfolds once they meet with their case manager. It’s a blessing for us to have the breadth of resources to holistically serve each person and their family.
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
We are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year, which is definitely a great achievement We started as a free food pantry and have adapted to provide a breadth of services that meet our community members’ needs. TLC continues to evolve as a community service nonprofit We are proud of how well we are able to respond to the needs of the community and adapt our organization to fill those gaps with new services.
We are proud of how well we are able to respond to the needs of the community and adapt our organization to fill those gaps with new services.
What
do you want people to know about your organization?
We are more than just a food pantry. If you need help with housing support, medical needs, school supplies, holiday gifts, self-sufficiency programs, utility bill assistance, food and more… we’re here.
There are probably a lot of community members who think we are here for people who are worse off than they are However, our income eligibility guidelines are higher than those of many other food pantries because we realize the needs in our community look different For somebody on the cusp, we’d recommend they not make a judgment on their own as to whether they would qualify for our services.
We want to encourage high utilization of our food programs. It may sound counterintuitive to encourage high utilization of a program, but the more people shop in our free grocery market, the more they can save on their grocery bills. This means they can use those savings to pay their rent. We can get food donated from King Soopers and our other community partners, but we can’t get rent donated
How are you using the funds you’ve received from the King Soopers Fight Hunger bag program?
We will use the funds for our food programs. Specifically, we will use it to purchase the items we do not commonly get donated. Meat and dairy are two of the areas we struggle with the most We receive donated canned goods often, but ground beef, chicken, milk, and eggs are much harder to acquire through donations.
From 2022 to 2023, we saw a 44% increase in the usage of our market. The clientele we serve are the first to be impacted by an economic downturn and the last to recover As the cost of living goes up, the benefits they’re getting from the government are not keeping pace. Until the cost of living goes down, our clientele will struggle to make ends meet. Because of this, trying to keep people stable in their homes has become more of a challenge.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
Our clients are the end recipients of the proceeds from this program, as we turn these dollars right back into spending at the local grocery stores to get the milk, cheese, eggs, and meats we need. It all goes directly into the hands of the community members most in need. We want to express our sincere gratitude for being a community partner with the local King Soopers and a recipient of this important program.
Through providing companionship and comprehensive services, Silver Key Senior Services supports the health and well-being of older adults in El Paso County. King Soopers has supported this organization through the Fight Hunger bag program.
Tell us about Silver Key Senior Services.
Silver Key Senior Services has been in Colorado Springs for 54 years now. Over the years, we have supported older adults throughout El Paso County. We also have a small program in Teller County. Overall, the mission of the organization is to help seniors keep as much independence as they choose proactively and preventatively to ensure a high quality of life.
The roots of the organization are in companionship.
The roots of the organization are in companionship. It started when people with tuberculosis began moving to Colorado Springs for better air quality and available therapeutics. Since many were separated from those who cared about them, a group of volunteers were concerned about the risk of isolation and loneliness during their time in treatment. So, the volunteer corps became companions. This is the history that runs through all of our existing programs today
What services do you provide to the community?
The services we provide include an activity center, our home-delivered Meals on Wheels, congregate lunches, our food pantry, transportation services, companionship, case management, resource navigation, and information. Many of the people who contact Silver Key know us through what’s called the Silver Line This is where people come in through an initial entry point to learn what forms of support are available to the older adult population We help to address those needs internally if we have the appropriate resources, or we refer them to where we believe they will receive the best support
Regarding our hunger relief efforts, we are the designee for Meals on Wheels in this region. As part of the national program, we deliver meals to older adults who otherwise would have challenges accessing nutritious meals. This program has existed within our organization for many years, as has our Connection Cafe Program. We have 13 Connection Cafes located throughout El Paso County for people to congregate together through a high-quality lunch program.
We also have about 40 vehicles that provide transportation to healthcare services, activity centers, and grocery stores. Additionally, we offer support for people who are grieving a loss through visits to the cemetery
Over the last several years, we’ve also been moving into housing support We currently have a 33-unit apartment and are building a 50-unit affordable housing project. Thirteen of these units will be for veterans. More recently, we have restarted our home modification program to provide grab bars and adaptive equipment to keep people independent and in their homes for as long as possible.
What sets Silver Key Senior Services apart from other hunger organizations in your community?
What’s unique about Silver Key is the dependence we have on volunteers We currently have more than 400 active volunteers. Our volunteer core is how we can meet the needs of our community With the support of our volunteers, we can address food insecurity in numerous ways depending on what each senior needs. Some seniors visit our pantry, others enjoy a meal with friends at one of our Connection Cafés, while seniors who are homebound desire a home-delivered meal from a friendly volunteer.
Going back to our history of companionship, part of what it means to work with older adult populations is that there will be a time when we may have a loss of life Even at the end of life, families will often include in the obituaries what a difference an individual driver or a volunteer for our Meals on Wheels program made in that person’s life. This connection is the core of who we are.
Please tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
There is one story in particular about a woman who had become houseless. The house she had lived in was part of an affordable housing project, but it was sold to a developer Since she was on a fixed income, she couldn’t afford the new rent prices and had to leave.
Our organization found out that she was also a veteran. In fact, out of the 11,000 seniors we serve a year, 26% are veterans or spouses of veterans Through her past work as a military service member, we were able to access additional support for her. Through this, we helped her move from living in her car to finding a place to call home.
We were then able to give food support through our pantry and commodity delivery program. We also registered her for Meals on Wheels. Ultimately, we were able to set the stage for her to become a volunteer at Silver Key.
So, she started as someone in desperate need of support, and we were able to put into play a variety of our services to help her, including our pantry, meal program, case management, and housing options Her story really highlights what we do at Silver Key.
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
A researcher has shared an interesting theory about how nonprofits adopt the characteristics of the people they serve. I am proud of how Silver Key has really embraced this concept. During the pandemic, we supercharged the culture of our organization by really reflecting on our population.
Outside of hospitals and physician offices, Silver Key was the first organization to be designated as an essential provider at both the city and county levels. Of course, our main concern was that the population we were serving was the most at risk We wanted to make sure we were still able to provide services.
Outside of hospitals and physician offices, Silver Key was the first organization to be designated as an essential provider at both the city and county levels.
While many would see the people we serve as resource-limited and frail in health, we shifted our thinking to a frame of abundance. When we reflected on the population we serve, we found an intense resilience. They have lived through pandemics and wars. They’re wise in decision-making. There’s also no way you’d be able to be alive and thriving in your 70s, 80s, or 90s without being adaptable. These three characteristics–adaptability, resilience, and wisdom–guided how we moved through the pandemic.
What I’m most proud of is that we didn’t close, not even for one day. On top of that, the news would show retail stores empty of cleaning items and toilet paper Meanwhile, we had tons of it here because our population had been stockpiling for years, and they just kept donating!
All of this support came directly from the population we serve.
Our organization also started knitting and creating masks for us to wear We had a production line so strong that we even sourced other nonprofits.
All of this support came directly from the population we serve. It was truly an example of our organization being adaptable, wise, and resilient.
What do you want people to know about your organization?
At Silver Key, we have adopted the Adult Hope Scale (AHS) to demonstrate our community impact. This is a nationally recognized and statistically reliable instrument used to gauge hope. This research behind the scale demonstrates that when someone has a lower degree of hope, they have a higher dependence on emergency rooms and ambulances. On the flip side, if they have a higher degree of hope, they have a lower utilization of hospitals, emergency rooms, and other healthcare systems.
But it’s not just about the good work we do. We are actually able to show that we save taxpayer dollars through our organization.
Through using the Adult Hope Scale as part of our impact assessment, we were able to demonstrate that we are approximately a $5 million company that saves the El Paso County community $25 million that would otherwise be paid by Medicaid and Medicare for unnecessary ambulances and emergency room visits.
Of course, I want people to know that it’s an amazing organization to be part of, which we can clearly demonstrate with the longevity of our volunteers For example, we have 17 volunteers who have been with us for over 15 years and five who have remained loyal for 25 years. But it’s not just about the good work we do. We are actually able to show that we save taxpayer dollars through our organization.
How are you using the funds you’ve received from the King Soopers Fight Hunger bag program?
Again, we’re thrilled about the partnership. We will use these funds to continue to source our pantry. We’re so grateful for King Soopers, which is one of the partners that makes sure we can provide high-quality, healthy, and nutritious food.
If you’re familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, one of the first basic needs is safe, stable housing and food security Next is emotional connection Yet, all of these things flow together, so it is difficult for me to say it is specifically carved out for one piece when it’s all part of our interconnected model of care
The other detail I would share is that we are now able to work in more healthcare systems. As older adults transition out of hospitals, rehab centers or other types of care networks, they come to our organization. From there, we are able to wrap that full range of support around them to help them to transition. I’m thrilled that the organization is an adjunct to the healthcare system. The resources from King Soopers helps us support this connection through the nutrition element.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
I would add that we have a couple of upcoming events. First, we have our Senior Sunrise Breakfast at the Marriott on May 10th The goal of this event is to expand the resources coming into our organization. We also have our Senior Summit on May 16th at the Great Wolf Lodge. This expo of senior services is an opportunity for our community to learn more about the services that are available from Silver Key and other local organizations that serve older adults, support caregivers, and people in need.
Westminster Presbyterian Church FISH Food Bank strives to meet both the physical and emotional needs of their community through inclusive hunger relief programs. King Soopers has supported this organization through the Fight Hunger bag program.
Tell us about Westminster Presbyterian Church FISH Food Bank.
The church itself is the oldest church in Westminster It was founded in 1892 by a group of Presbyterians who wanted to build the Princeton of the West. In the 50s and 60s, people began to move here, and other churches started coming in. In 1970, a bunch of the churches got together to meet the needs of the community. They set up a group called FISH of Westminster. In the mid-1990s, many people were struggling with food insecurity, so the group established multiple food pantries to help. Of those four pantries, we are the only one still operating.
There are all kinds of community needs out there, but the one my church really tapped into was food insecurity It’s immediate It’s not focused on solving economic issues or on job retraining. It’s focused on filling bellies. That’s our mission.
The idea is to help your hometown, help your neighbors, and support your community.
A lot of our volunteers are Christians, but we’ve never required that you be a member of the church to volunteer. We actively recruit anyone in the community who wants to help, which has changed how our organization sits in the community We are much more visible and get much more outside support. The organization has evolved to truly be community-based The idea is to help your hometown, help your neighbors, and support your community.
What services do you provide to the community?
We are one of two food pantries in Westminster that are open regularly. We’re open four days a week for three afternoons and one evening We are also the only evening pantry in the area We make sure to have one open evening each week because we have a lot of clients working two jobs. Since we’re not the only pantry in the area, we also make sure clients know where the other pantries are.
Before the pandemic, we started doing more initiatives for the unhoused. We offer bags with food and hygiene products suited for someone who may be sleeping rough We try to give ten meals through each kit, specifically items they can carry in a backpack that don’t require reheating. We also want to be considerate of the fact that many unhoused individuals may be missing teeth and might need softer foods. Assuming they don’t have access to clean water, we provide water bottles. We also include baby wipes, Advil, lotion, deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrushes
As a church, we host free dinners for anyone in the neighborhood twice a month. Last year, we added a Thanksgiving lunch funded by the FISH Food Bank. We decided to provide a Thanksgiving meal because there’s a lot of emotion attached to food insecurity. This way, you get a nice warm meal in a nice warm place We partnered with multiple churches to do this. Together, we were able to serve ham, turkey, and potatoes. Fortunately, a couple of the churches spoke Spanish, so we were also able to communicate with everybody who came.
What sets Westminster Presbyterian Church FISH Food Bank apart from other hunger organizations in your community?
Our homeless initiative is what sets us apart A lot of pantries just started focusing on this now that homelessness is becoming much more visible in our area From 2022 to 2023, the number of homeless individuals in our town doubled from 120 to 240 As this number is increasing, we are more intentional about addressing homelessness
We have brought in an extraordinary number of partners in the last few years For example, when we started doing the homeless kits, the Westminster Stake of the Church of Latter-Day Saints donated the food, and we focused on hygiene products. For the Thanksgiving meal, the regional Jewish congregation who worships at our church partnered with us. We also partnered with a church of about 200 members who worship in the college library. The city even uses us for a lot of their homeless support activities, specifically in libraries. We are also getting more corporate partnerships, like the partnership we have had with King Soopers for almost 20 years.
Ten years ago, we were a smaller organization, serving 450 clients a month. Since mid-2023, we have served an average of 650 clients a month. When I joined, we had two pantries, and our food budget was $15,000 Now, we have one pantry, and we spent $38,000 last year on food alone We have become much more visible and more widely recognized
Please tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
In general, we get to know our clients personally. The clients are comfortable enough to share their joys and struggles with our volunteers. When they come in, I tell volunteers they will feel exceptionally blessed. We even see a number of clients come back to give donations and volunteer. They appreciate how we helped them when they were in need so much that they come back to help This is special because we want to treat our clients with love and respect We want them to feel good about their interactions with us So, the fact that they want to come back means we are successful
The clients are comfortable enough to share their joys and struggles with our volunteers.
As an example of this love and respect, Denver recently was inundated with buses of immigrants arriving from Texas and Florida. They arrived during a stretch where the city didn’t even hit zero degrees. Denver was colder than most of Antarctica that particular weekend. They were staying in motels without microwaves or anything.
One volunteer for our partner Jewish Congregation came to pick up food for one of the families. She told us how the father’s a licensed electrician and the mother’s a registered nurse. They also had their fourth-grade daughter with them. All they had was the clothes on their back.
We asked, “Does she have a lovey?” Of course, they had nothing. Luckily, we had recently received a huge donation, which included a stuffed animal. So, we made sure to give her the lovey along with the food the family would receive
What do you want people to know about your organization?
We want people to know that we’ve been here for a while and that we are vital People see us as part of the fabric of the community.
The other thing I’m really proud of is that we participated in a Diversity and Inclusion Program through our partnership with the Food Bank of the Rockies. This program gave us funding, training, and reference materials. Because of this, we now offer all of our forms in English and Spanish, and our basic forms are available in Dari (an Afghani language) and Ukrainian
People see us as part of the fabric of the community.
One of our goals was to think of what kind of foods would be inclusive and familiar. For Latin American clients, we started looking at frijoles, canned chilis and coffee. For Middle Eastern and Mediterranean clients, we got lentils Ukrainians really like rye flour, which is extremely expensive, but we ordered it. Honey is important for many Central European countries. SPAM and egg noodles are great for our Pacific Islander-Asian clients. We wanted to offer them a choice that would enable them to make something that’s a little more familiar This is important because food, while it physically meets a need, if you can get some of that nurturing taste of home it meets a whole other need emotionally. Even if you’re second, third, or fourth generation, those are probably your family recipes.
How have you used the funds you’ve received from the King Soopers Fight Hunger bag program?
We’ll buy food with these funds That’s what we’re here for, and that’s what we want to make sure we give. As I said, we went from a food budget of $15,000 to $38,000. We found a couple of partners to donate a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Since so many of our clients aren’t into canned foods, the fact we can give them fresh vegetables is very appreciated. We also buy food at King Soopers when we can’t order things from our normal warehouse. We’ll get dog food and diapers, maybe saltines or pasta sauce. Basically, we get whatever we really need at the moment.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
In 2023, we provided 62,600 meals and served 6,200 clients from the food pantry. We also connected with 900 unhoused people.
Finally, we distributed 58,000 pounds of food. The need is real and we are grateful we are able to help meet it.
The need is real and we are grateful we are able to help meet it.
By providing low-barrier services, Manna is working to feed its local community and break the cycle of poverty in Durango, Colorado. City Market has supported this organization through the Fight Hunger bag program.
Tell
us about Manna.
At Manna, our mission is to provide nourishing meals and supportive services in an atmosphere of acceptance and care for those in need. We have been operating since 1985, so we’ve served our community for almost 40 years.
For over 15 years, Manna was a volunteer-run organization aimed at feeding the community. Local church organizations would get together to prepare and serve food to people who might be unhoused or in need of support.
In 2001, we moved to our current campus, where we built a soup kitchen and continued to grow. We hired a small staff and developed an on-site garden where we’ve grown fresh produce for nearly 20 years. All the food we grow is distributed back to our community through our meals or at no-cost markets
In 2014, we expanded our facilities, opening a second building to host a culinary program focused on job readiness This 5-week training program prepares folks to work in the service industry. People leave with a food safety license, a kitchen-ready skillset, and access to job navigation support.
In 2022, we transformed our traditional soup kitchen model into our Resource Center and Food Market. Manna’s Resource Center offers on-site case management and resource navigation from our case managers and partner organizations. The no-cost Food Market allows people to shop for their food needs and receive items that fit their dietary, cultural, and household needs. We also have a takeout window where we continue to serve hot meals daily. The hot meals program has always been a cornerstone of our organization.
The hot meals program has always been a cornerstone of our organization.
What services do you provide to the community?
Since opening our Resource Center, Manna has been able to add a lot of additional support services and varied programming for people who are low-income, experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, and experiencing food insecurity.
Manna’s services are extremely low barrier Anyone can access the market and case management services since we don’t require any form of ID or income verification. Some of the services we provide have qualifications based on grant or funding requirements, but we do our best to make food and general resources as accessible as possible
We understand that people’s situations are constantly in flux. Durango is a rural community with a high cost of living. Our seasonal, tourism-driven wages don’t always meet the financial needs of locals We want to make sure our services are accessible to people experiencing diverse situations.
In addition to the Resource Center, food services, and case management, we host an onsite business center. Technology access is often required for employment, housing, and communication, so the business center provides access to phones and the internet.
What sets Manna apart from other nonprofits in your community?
Manna focuses on providing multiple services under one roof Oftentimes, people accessing services are asked to keep appointments with several organizations. However, transportation can be difficult in a rural community like Durango, adding barriers to keeping appointments When folks come to us, they can speak with a case manager, pick up groceries, and have breakfast.
Manna focuses on providing multiple services under one roof.
We also invite different partner organizations to work with us so that people can benefit from their varied expertise. For example, we have health navigators who provide on-site enrollment to a variety of physical, mental, and behavioral health services Workforce development comes in to provide job placement services. Many partners help us provide the services we don’t have the capacity to offer.
Tell us a story that illustrates the good work of your organization.
A single mother and her two children had been receiving services at Manna for a few years. The mother grew up in Durango, but past circumstances had made housing hard to access The family was living in their car
She was eventually referred to our Rapid Rehousing Program. This program supports people experiencing homelessness by providing rental assistance and stabilization services. The goal is for participants to gain the skills to maintain long-term housing stability.
First, we connected her to the Bridge Housing Program, allowing them to temporarily reside in a local hotel while searching for stable housing. The program provided more stability than living in their vehicle and opened the path to finding a unit for the family.
We worked with them for about a year and a half on finding employment, gaining income, and connecting to resources. A few months ago, they attained a Section 8 voucher, meaning they have long-term housing security that will fit their income. They were able to transition off our program into a housing situation that will provide stability for years to come.
What is your most outstanding achievement or contribution to the community?
Opening the Resource Center has been a massive accomplishment. Before this, we operated as a traditional soup kitchen. Our supportive services were minimal, offering bus tokens, thrift store vouchers, and necessary items such as socks and blankets
It was good work, but it wasn’t addressing the full range of needs our community is experiencing. In 2020, we created a strategic plan to implement our vision for the Resource Center, providing more services under one roof
Now, we address a range of food insecurity because needs look different for everyone. We have hot daily meals and a no-cost market to allow people to shop for food that fits their dietary restrictions, cultural needs, and family size. When a household is experiencing food insecurity, it’s likely that there are other issues that need to be addressed, such as housing, income, or employment. This is why we have moved toward a more holistic model At Manna, folks connect with case managers who look at the full picture and connect them with resources that will help them reach their next goal.
When a household is experiencing food insecurity, it’s likely that there are other issues that need to be addressed, such as housing, income, or employment.
We’re in a small town in Southwest Colorado. We get a lot of feedback about how amazing it is to have a thorough resource in such a rural area We are proud of everything we’ve been able to do in this community.
What do you want people to know about your organization?
There is a diversity of services here Many folks still refer to Manna as Manna Soup Kitchen, our traditional name. People might think we only serve certain populations, but Manna is open to everyone. We understand that life happens, and a helping hand can go a long way.
Whether people need temporary, seasonal, or lifelong support, we are here. We offer a welcoming environment. Manna’s services are for anyone in our community.
Whether people need temporary, seasonal, or lifelong support, we are here.
How are you using the funds you’ve received from the City Market Fight Hunger bag program?
These funds go toward our meal programs. We have a backpack program that sends meals home with children who are at risk of food insecurity during the school year. This program requires us to purchase specific foods to ensure the food is equitable for all kids getting it
We’re so grateful for this partnership and for City Market selecting us. We have been able to put the word out on social media and newsletters, and we know that has gotten support from our local community members.
Outside of this program, City Market has donated so much food to Manna, allowing us to keep feeding our community The food we receive is distributed through the Food Market and is used to cook our daily meals. So not only are we ensuring people have access to quality foods, but we’re also working together to reduce food waste in our community. The different ways we have continued to build this partnership and receive support mean so much to us. We appreciate all that you do to support Manna and other organizations that do similar work to us both in Colorado and nationwide.
