Hunger Free Colorado works to end hunger. Of course, when we say hunger, we aren’t talking about that feeling of hunger you get before deciding if you want to cook at home or order out. We’re talking about hunger – often chronic hunger – that is caused by food insecurity. To understand our work, it might be helpful to first understand what food security is.

How is food security defined and measured? 

Although different organizations have slightly different ways of defining and measuring food security, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines “very low food security” in the following way: “At times during the year, food intake of household members is reduced and their normal eating patterns are disrupted because the household lacks money and other resources for food.” [1]

The following are criteria that the USDA uses to measure food security [1]:

• Worried food would run out 
• Food bought did not last 
• Could not afford a balanced meal 
• Cut the size of a meal or skipped a meal (due to lack of funds/food) 
• Ate less than they felt they should 
• Hungry but they did not eat 
• Lost weight 
• Did not eat for a whole day 

What does food insecurity look like in Colorado?

In Hunger Free Colorado’s most recent hunger survey (taken April 2021), 1 in 3 (33%) of Coloradans are food insecure, meaning they lack reliable access to nutritious food. Households with children also remain at the forefront of Colorado’s hunger crisis, with 44% unable to consistently put healthy food on the table, posing risks to the long-term health and well-being of hundreds of thousands of children across the state. Among households with children, 30% of adults reported having to regularly cut back or skip meals because there wasn’t enough money to buy food. [2]

Who is affected by food insecurity?

Anyone can be affected by food insecurity at some point in their life. As mentioned earlier, 1 in 3 Coloradans are food insecure [2]. This means if you or your child’s class had 20 students, six or seven of them may be food insecure.

While experiencing food insecurity, there may be feelings of shame, embarrassment, anxiety, or fear. Because of this, it’s sometimes hard for people to reach out or seek resources.

What can you do to help?

You never know who in your life may be experiencing food insecurity. Oftentimes, knowing that someone you trust accepts and welcomes you can be the impact needed to reduce stigma – it may even be the encouragement someone needs to seek out food resources.

1. Talk to friends and family about food insecurity, commonly known as hunger, and promote organizations that are working to end it. Share resources, like our Find Food page, on social media.
2. Learn about hunger in Colorado and from Coloradans experiencing hunger. People are complex and food security is just one aspect of people’s lives. Just about anyone can face food insecurity at some point in their lives but it does not define who they are.
3. If you have experienced food insecurity and feel comfortable doing so, talk about it with trusted friends and family or use our
   Share Your Story platform.
4. Listen. If someone you know talks about their experience with food insecurity, listen and support them.

There’s so much more to it!

Of course, there is a lot more to food security than what we’ve covered in this post. We plan to share more to better paint the picture of hunger and ending it.

Meanwhile, ask yourself and consider researching:

• What are the systems, histories, or policies that perpetuate food insecurity? Many of these systemic disparities have specifically targeted Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals and communities.
• How does food insecurity connect to other issues like housing, transportation, health care, employment, wages, etc.?
• What are the solutions to ending food insecurity and how do we work on short-term and long-term solutions?

We hope you will continue with us through this work. If you join our newsletter, you’ll receive updates on hunger in Colorado, the steps you can take to help end it, and more.

One thing is for sure. It will take multiple people like yourself to make it happen.

References

1. USDA, Definitions of Food Security, September 2020
2. Hunger Free Colorado, COVID Food Insecurity Survey, April 2021

“The sheer number of people that she helps daily, and her exceptional customer service set her apart as a model for SNAP outreach.” – Brett Reeder

As our mobile outreach manager, Ninfa works in communities to connect households with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other nutrition services. “For the last seven years, Ninfa has set the standard for compassion, professionalism, and impact in helping community members access nutritious food,” said Hunger Free Colorado’s Director of Client Services, Brett Reeder. “She constantly goes above and beyond to support families and works tirelessly to improve access within immigrant communities.”

The Pandemic and Outreach

When the pandemic started, Hunger Free Colorado ended in-person outreach to protect the team’s safety. Ninfa switched to support the work of our Food Resource Hotline. But her true passion lies in helping others face-to-face. So, she waited, helped, and hoped for the vaccines to come and allow her to return to the community.

“For me to serve others is a commitment, not just a job,” she said. “I strongly believe that all people have the right to have enough nutritious food for their family.”

Thankfully, she’s now returning to her element. Community members in the Denver area will continue to meet, be heard, and be helped by Ninfa. “As a food justice warrior, I will continue supporting our mission and other organizations that fight for this human right until all people are treated with dignity and respect,” Ninfa said.

In person and over the phone, our SNAP outreach teams connect our neighbors to vital nutrition programs. Our staff members, including Ninfa, visit multiple community locations and take calls on our free Food Resource Hotline. (Read about what it’s like working on the hotline in this article by Carly Caprio, a bilingual food assistance specialist.) Another way we support SNAP participation is through our free training, tools, and support to community partners across the state.  

On-Site Assistance – Denver Metro 

Ninfa, alongside other members of our hotline team, visits community sites in the Denver metro area to provide on-site food insecurity screenings, application assistance, and connect Coloradans to local, no-cost food resources. This service is available in English and Spanish.

Food Resource Hotline – Statewide 

Available Monday through Friday (8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.), our Food Resource Hotline staff members connect Coloradans to nutrition resources. This one-stop resource helps clients navigate federal and charitable programs, locate community food sites, and more. This service is available in English and Spanish.

SNAP PEAS (Partners Engaging in Application Services) – Statewide 

With their strong local connections, SNAP PEAS are uniquely qualified to help overcome the barriers to services that too many families experiencing hardship face. Our partnering SNAP PEAS include local WIC agencies, food pantries and food banks, family resource centers, county Departments of Human Services, medical providers, soup kitchens, colleges and universities, legal aid offices, community farms & food organizations, and immigrant and unique culture group support agencies.

If your organization is interested in partnering with Hunger Free Colorado on SNAP outreach, please visit our website.  

Where do we even begin with policy?

For many people, policy is a confusing, daunting task done by others.
It’s easier to not even touch policy sometimes. But imagine for a second, your school cafeteria. What food was offered? How much time did you get to eat lunch? Was there support for kids who couldn’t afford meals? Many of our experiences with food and more are shaped by policies, directly or indirectly. Things don’t simply happen, and we can raise our voice to decide what happens.

Why is policy important to help end hunger?

Hunger Free Colorado’s programs to help people find food are critical to ensuring that people can take care of themselves and their families now.
Policy work takes that one step further to ensure that systems are in place so everyone can eat and not worry about where their next meal will come from.

Policy work is important because it creates and changes the laws/rules. And how those laws/rules are implemented are often the barriers to programs and resources. We work to ensure that communities impacted by policies have a say in how they are created and implemented, which has not been the case historically.

Policy can help end hunger because we can invest public resources (taxes) into programs that work to improve systems and the lives of our community members. The programs vary from strong nutrition programs that help people afford food, to programs that invest in our food systems to make them work better for all communities, including low-income communities.

Hunger Free Colorado’s Advocacy for Change (2021)

This year, we worked on three primary initiatives with the Colorado Legislature:

1. Colorado Food Pantry Assistance Grant

The Colorado Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program helps food pantries and food banks purchase critical meat, dairy and fresh produce from local Colorado farmers and ranchers. It’s win-win legislation that helps people access food today AND supports local farmers, building the local economy to strengthen communities for the future.

SB21-027: Emergency Supplies for Colorado Babies and Families passed this session and will provide $5 million in continued funding for food pantries and food banks to purchase food, including from local farmers. The bill also created a state diaper bank grant program (the first of its kind), which will provide experienced diaper banks $4 million in funding over two years to distribute diapers to community organizations across the state, including food pantries and food banks.

2. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Outreach

We sought $1 million to fund Colorado’s SNAP outreach program, a portion of which the federal government will match. These funds help community-based organizations enroll eligible Colorado households in this vital nutrition program. The state budget passed and included this important investment that will support work across the state to help eligible Coloradans access the food benefits for which they qualify.

In addition to being matched by federal funding, these dollars will bring millions more to the state in the form of federal SNAP benefits that go directly to low-income Coloradans, supporting community health and wellbeing and helping our economy recover.

3. Agricultural Worker’s Rights

Agricultural Worker’s Rights, led by the amazing Project Protect Food Systems, worked to make sure that each part of the food system was equitable, including for the people who grow our food. In the U.S., farmworkers are not guaranteed many basic rights and safeties that most of us take for granted. For example, they are not guaranteed minimum wage!

This bill ensures that farmworkers will get rights and protections they did not get before. We are thankful that this bill passed! It’s an important first step, and we will continue advocating for farmworker rights.

Read about all of our 2021 advocacy successes on our website!

What’s next?

Right now, we are advocating for Congress to take bold action to address poverty and  hunger, especially among children, in the next federal recovery package. Join us in calling for Congress to ensure no child struggles to learn on an empty stomach here!

How can I help end hunger?

Ending hunger takes all of us. Although policy may seem daunting, we want to encourage YOU to take action and spark real change.

“People can have a role in policy making by working with others who are doing similar work, including advocacy organizations like Hunger Free Colorado,” said Hunger Free Colorado’s Director of Public Policy, Ashley Wheeland.

Now that you know what Hunger Free Colorado does, here are some actions you can take to help end hunger.

1. Sign up to get updates!
   This is the best way to know what our policy team is working on and when there are opportunities to take action on rules and laws that impact hunger.
2. Help support our work with a donation. Every $1 counts to help end hunger!
3. Spread the word! Below are some example posts that you can copy/paste to your social media channels.

I signed up for Hunger Free Colorado’s action network because I want to help end hunger. I encourage you to sign up so you can stay updated on ways to advocate. Let’s end hunger together: HungerFreeColorado.org/get-involved/advocate/

When we work together, we can make big changes! Stay updated on ways you can advocate to end hunger in Colorado by signing up for Hunger Free Colorado’s action network: HungerFreeColorado.org/get-involved/advocate/

A client left me a voicemail today. In truth, it was the second in two days. A bit of edge chalks the end of her words matched by a tired tone. She needs food.

I check the time, “Last call of the day,” I think to myself, “This ought to be interesting.”
I’m familiar with clients who need a faceless voice to release frustrations. Anonymity helps with catharsis. Reluctantly, I dial the number. Two rings and click, the monotone voice answers, “Hello.”

“Hello,” I say. I tell her my name and ask how I can help. She tells me about the two weeks trying to get a real person on the line at various offices. She needs help. Her fridge is empty. She’s hungry but the funds to purchase food have run out. Her voice divulges a deeper solemnness, something more than a few missed calls.

I pause and wonder how many times this woman has reached for a helping hand only for it to slip like butter from her fingertips. So, I ask, “What’s your name?”

Compassion Exists in the Smallest Gestures

Instead, she tells me her story. COVID-19 has left her out of work for months with bills now stacking double her unemployment check.

Last month pneumonia seized her lungs, restricting her to a hospital bed for 2 weeks. The doctors say she needs surgery ASAP, else her sinuses will drip liquid into her lungs.

Her husband is in hospice. His cancer, now two brain tumors deep, has spread. “It’s bad” she sighed, “39 years we’ve been together.” Then, she quiets in the wake of her spoken hardships, perhaps surprised she’s revealed so much to a perfect stranger.

I’m short on words and already well into overtime. In a feeble attempt to respond to a story where words seem so small, I say, “It sounds like there are so many things out of your control right now.” A heavy sigh escapes her lips, “Like you wouldn’t even believe. My husband knows he won’t be around much longer. You know what his wish is? All he wants is for me to get myself set up, so he can go knowing I’m taken care of. That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to do but I can’t get anyone on the phone to help me.”

Tears swell the corners of my eyes as a wave of compassion floods over me. Gently I add, “He really loves you, doesn’t he?” Her voice breaks.
Suddenly, the despondent woman I began this call with melted.

With tenderness she responds, “He does, he really does,” her voice barely concealing the throbbing pain palpating inside, “You know, he kissed my hand this morning? Right before he went into the bathroom. He gave me that look like he knows, he knows it could be any day, then he just kissed my hand,” she paused, lingering in the memory, “I don’t know what I’m going to do without him.”

In the heavy silence that follows, words seem like drivel. So, I join her in the moment of feeling the weight of the burden she’s been carrying for quite some time. I reflect on how utterly wrong my assumptions were. I had only heard the anger and not the pain, the bitterness in her tone and not the years of ache, the curtness and not the grief of losing the one she loves. In the days that follow, I can let go of this moment, but she will walk on carrying the loss of the life she once knew.

A few days later, her husband passed away kissing the palm of her hand and rubbing her face because he loved the softness of her skin. To him, she said, “I love you with everything I am. Take my soul and love. I’ll be here but you need to go. I know you don’t want to leave me but go.” With that, he took his last breath.

By sharing her story, she hopes to remind others that great love still exists. “The love and trust I had for my husband, and he had for me, is so treasured,” she said. “I wish it for every couple out there.”

Kindness Costs Nothing

I regret my narrow-minded presumptions before the call because the real person behind that voicemail is scared and hungry. She’s alone and her whole world is crumbling before her eyes yet here she is, unabridged and wholly beautiful, entrusting her story to a stranger.

Perhaps beyond the familiar shields we use to protect ourselves, lies the inner strength of humanity (one human shouldering other’s burdens the way others have shouldered ours).

It’s in the smiling of a stranger.
The opening of a door.
The kissing of a hand.
The asking of a name.

It can simply be the intentional moments of kindness that imprint us, writing letters of love on our hearts. Ones we’ll carry onwards & outwards like tides surging to each corner of the globe. Ones that resound from small ripples into waves of power, the likes of which we cannot fathom.

So, in a world where we can be anything, why not be kind?

Find Food

If you, or anyone you know, would like help connecting with nearby food resources or nutrition programs, please visit our website. Here you’ll find information on community food resources, nutrition programs, and other public resources.

SNAP PEAS

SNAP Partners Engaging in Application Services (SNAP PEAS) are deeply embedded in their communities and provide the most relevant and responsive support to the families they serve.

They do so by working directly with members of their community to help them apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and connect with other food resources. Through these close relationships with clients, SNAP PEAS are uniquely able to understand and help overcome the barriers to services that so many families experiencing hardship face. Barriers such as stigma, quality application completion, understanding program rules and availability, and the chronic stress of adversity.

“Food insecurity is a very sensitive topic and people are more likely to seek/receive help when working with a community-based organization they trust,” said Nora Doherty, SNAP PEAS Coordinator. “The more SNAP PEAS we train, the more people in Colorado will receive the food assistance they deserve, reducing hunger in Colorado.”

Our SNAP PEAS partners include local WIC agencies, food pantries and food banks, family resource centers, county departments of human services, medical providers, soup kitchens, colleges and universities, legal aid offices, community farms & food organizations, and immigrant and unique culture support agencies.

Colorado Food Pantry Network

Inequitable food access disproportionately affects vulnerable communities throughout Colorado. The charitable/emergency food system plays an important role in addressing this challenge.

Our Colorado Food Pantry Network brings food pantries together to end hunger in Colorado. This statewide effort helps food pantries invest in improved collaboration, organizational efficiencies and spur collective action.

The networks’ vision is for food pantries, with collective power, to meet the needs of Coloradans struggling with hunger. As part of a united charitable food system, they will be stronger, more efficient and more effective in providing their services to the community.

Findings and advocacy from the Colorado Food Pantry Network was the initial impetus for the Food Pantry Assistance Grant, which has now provided more than $10 million to our local food system, connecting local farmers and food pantries.

Hotline Referral Program

Many organizations partner with us through our Hotline Referral Program. Our Food Resource Hotline is a one-stop shop that organizations can refer clients to. Once we receive the referral, our food assistance navigators connect them with food resources across the state, federal nutrition programs and more. We also send partners free printed materials to share with their clients and communities.

Hunger Free Students

School meals can make up more than half a student’s daily calories. And access to nutritious meals has a significant impact on student health, behavior, and academic success.

Our Hunger Free Students initiative works with schools and other community organizations to increase participation in school meals, summer meals, and after-school nutrition programs. Hunger Free Colorado also provides outreach materials and toolkits that schools and other youth-serving groups can use to help ensure that all youth are nourished and ready to learn.

Actions YOU Can Take to Help End Hunger

Ending hunger takes all of us. Now that you know what Hunger Free Colorado does, here are some actions you can take to help end hunger.

1. Send this to a community-serving organization in your community! It could be your nearby schools, food pantries, or community centers.
2. Help support our work with a donation.
3. Spread the word! Below are some example posts that you can copy/paste to your social media channels.

Is your community facing hunger? Hunger Free Colorado has many partnership opportunities to help organizations end hunger in their communities. Check them out here: HungerFreeColorado.org/partner-with-us/partner/

Our community must address hunger! Hunger Free Colorado’s partnership opportunities and free resources can help. HungerFreeColorado.org/partner-with-us/partner/

We are pleased to report that Colorado’s legislature finished its session! It included the passage of several bills and funding that will help respond to Colorado’s hunger crisis. Many families have struggled to put food on the table through this pandemic.

Our most recent survey of Coloradans found that 30% of Coloradans are facing hunger. Furthermore, over 40% of parents with young children, people with disabilities, and people of color, reported that they are continuing to face food insecurity. To help respond to this high need, we joined fellow anti-hunger advocates in working on and supporting legislation to help families through this tough time and into the future. Below we highlight a few of our wins!

SB21-027: Emergency Supplies for Colorado Babies and Families: We worked closely with partners on this legislation which will provide
$5 million in continued funding for food pantries and food banks to purchase food, including from local farmers. The bill also created a state diaper bank grant program (the first of its kind), which will provide experienced diaper banks $4 million in funding over two years to distribute diapers to community organizations across the state, including food pantries and food banks. You can join us in thanking the legislators who voted for this important program by clicking here!

SB21-087: Agricultural Workers’ Rights: We are excited to say legislation passed the Colorado legislature that expands workplace protections to the Colorado agricultural workers that sustain our food system. This bill will help Colorado’s agricultural sector workers that have for too long faced discrimination, low wages, harassment, and wage theft because they have been carved out of state legal protections. We supported this historic bill that was championed by a coalition led by Project Protect Food Systems, a statewide group working to identify, elevate and address the needs of the people who contribute their labor to all parts of the food system.

HB21-1105: Low-income Utility Payment Assistance Contributions: This bill creates a utility assistance fund that will help Coloradans with limited incomes pay their energy bills and weatherize their homes. Additionally, over the next two and half years, it will establish a program to pay a nominal utility assistance payment to many SNAP households to allow them to access a higher utility deduction when determining their SNAP benefit amount. This could increase some SNAP households’ monthly benefit by as much as $90 each month and will result in millions of dollars in economic benefits for Colorado families and economic stimulus for our state.

HB21-1270: Appropriation to Department of Human Services for Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program: The legislature also passed a bill allocating $3 million for workforce programs for Coloradans who qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This important bill will help SNAP clients who are seeking employment in these tough times. Please note that this does not create a work requirement for SNAP clients, which is problematic for those with disabilities and barriers to work, instead, it increases opportunities for SNAP recipients to access employment supports.

HB21-1311 and 1312: Tax Reform Measures: These bills we supported expand the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, reforms that benefit lower-income Coloradans. This was passed thanks to hard work by legislators and our partners, the Colorado Fiscal Institute and Colorado Center on Law and Policy. These increased tax credits for Coloradans with limited incomes will help Coloradans and their economic security for years to come.

Immigrant Rights Bills: This was also a monumental session for immigrant rights, and, as a result, access to healthy food in immigrant communities. We supported three bills that passed and will help immigrants in Colorado:

• HB21-1194: Immigration Legal Defense Fund: This bill creates a legal assistance program for immigrants facing deportation proceedings in court. Immigrants with legal help are much more likely to get through our broken immigration system and when they do, they are better able to stay with their families, earn wages to support their families, and afford nutritious food.
• SB21-131: Protect Personal Identifying Information Kept by State: This bill strengthens data privacy protections for state programs to ensure that everyone can get the services they need without fear that their personal information will be misused. The law prohibits state agencies from sharing the information of immigrants for the purpose of investigation or surveillance programs. This bill will help families stay together and maintain economic security, as our immigrant rights’ partner organizations and we continue to advocate for immigration reform at the federal level.
• SB21-199: Remove Barriers to Certain Public Opportunities: This bill removes discriminatory language in our state laws that prevented immigrants from becoming licensed to provide services and earn an income, as well as language that prohibited access to many state benefits. This bill is vital to helping immigrants in Colorado work legally, and therefore be able to afford the nutritious food they deserve.

The Budget: Finally, we are pleased to announce the legislature-funded outreach for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at nearly a million dollars. A portion of this will be matched by federal dollars. These funds help community-based organizations enroll eligible Colorado households in this vital nutrition program and put more dollars into Colorado’s economy.

The work of the Colorado legislature and Governor this past session, and the special session before it, has been vital to meeting the hunger crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is more to do. We look forward to working with our anti-hunger partner organizations, advocates, and state leaders on the next steps in responding to our state’s hunger crisis. Thank you for supporting our work, for being an advocate and for making a difference in such a challenging year. On to the next chapter of our collective work for food security for all Coloradans!

Want to get updates when lawmakers are considering bills and other proposals that could impact our neighbors struggling with hunger?
Sign up to receive our advocacy alerts!

Our website has been redesigned! These changes were made to help improve usability and better communicate the resources and work to end hunger. Continue reading to learn how our new site can help community members connect with resources, partnership opportunities and more!

NEW Self-Service Tool

Hunger Free Colorado is excited to introduce our new self-service tool! This is an easy-to-use tool that anyone can use from their computer or smartphone to find food resources near them throughout the state. You can filter by age range (ex. find food resources for youth) or by other criteria
(ex. college students, families, mixed documentation status households, individuals with disabilities, pregnant individuals).

Food Resource Hotline

Our Food Resource Hotline is still an important way for people to find food resources. For people who feel more comfortable talking to a real person on the phone who can help walk them through food available food resources, the hotline is here for you.
Call the Food Resource Hotline (statewide and toll-free) at 855-855-4626, Monday – Friday (8 am – 4:30 pm).

“HFC’s hotline work is important because our food system is built on unfair foundations. Some have easier access to food while others encounter barriers such as financial distress, lack of internet access, confusion around eligibility, homelessness, fear around immigration, or job difficulties. The hotline stretches out a hand to anyone in need, especially those who may otherwise fall in the gap,” said Carly Caprio, Bilingual Food Assistance Navigator at Hunger Free Colorado.

Partnership Opportunities

Hunger Free Colorado is committed to meaningful partnerships that leverage resources and break down barriers to food access. Across the state, communities have the wisdom and drive to implement solutions to hunger. We provide tools, training and funding to empower community-led
anti-hunger work and advocacy. Learn more about our partnership opportunities.

Actions YOU Can Take to Help End Hunger

Ending hunger takes all of us. Now that you know what Hunger Free Colorado does, here are some actions you can take with us to help end hunger.

1. Check out the redesigned website!
2. Sign up for Hunger Free Colorado’s newsletter and stay updated on all things anti-hunger.
3. Spread the word! Below are some texts that you can copy/paste to your social media to let people know that you want to help end hunger, and share the resources to do it. You never know who in your life may be experiencing hunger, and sharing your support plus tangible resources
   could make a huge impact.

Sample Posts (Facebook)

I want to help end hunger. I know that hunger can affect anyone, and there’s no stigma in finding help. People can find resources to get food at HungerFreeColorado.org/find-food/ or by calling the @hungerfreecolorado Food Resource Hotline at 855-855-4626 (statewide and toll-free,
in 150+ languages).

I used to experience hunger myself, and I want people to know that I support them, and there’s no stigma in finding help. People can find resources to get food at HungerFreeColorado.org/find-food/ or by calling the @hungerfreecolorado Food Resource Hotline at 855-855-4626 (statewide and toll-free,
in 150+ languages).

There are so many resources in Colorado to help find food. Find some near you at HungerFreeColorado.org/find-food/ or call the @hungerfreecolorado Food Resource Hotline at 855-855-4626 (statewide and toll-free, in 150+ languages).

Of course, there are many ways to do this. One way is by adding places where food pantries can get their food. In addition to donations, when food pantries have funds to purchase from local farms, people can get access to that fresh, nutritious food, and that community’s economy is strengthened.

Golden Food Pantry Assistance Grant

Golden is doing just that. A group spearheaded by Hunger Free Golden secured $25,000 from the City of Golden for food pantries to purchase food from farmers in Jefferson County.

From Hunger Free Golden, the overall goal of this project is “to increase the resiliency of our local food system, as well as the health and food/nutrition security of our community members by building partnerships between local food assistance providers and local farmers, producers, and ranchers. These partnerships will not only increase access to fresh, nutritious food for those who are most vulnerable, but will also contribute to longer term sustainability of Golden’s food assistance network, while supporting the local agricultural economy.”

We are excited to see the immediate and long-term benefits this program will make. Thank you to each organization who is integral to this pilot project:

• Food Pantries
  • BGoldN Fresh Food Pantry
  • Calvary Food Shelf
  • Christian Action Guild
• Farms
  • Acres Farm (Warren Tech)
  • GoFarm
  • Golden Acre Farm
  • Golden Poultry and Meats
  • Nelms Farm

Taking This Statewide

Hunger Free Colorado, along with so many individuals and organizations across the state, are working together to take this concept statewide. In 2019, through incredible advocacy from people throughout Colorado, $500,000 was secured for the Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program to help food pantries procure meat, dairy, and produce from Colorado farmers.

This legislative season, we are continuing to advocate to grow this to $10 million, which will create a robust fund that will create jobs, make sure people can get food through this pandemic, and set up a system that will help all Coloradans eat long-term.

What YOU Can Do Today

The team in Golden did their research to understand where the needs in their community are, connected with partners who are vital to this project, and advocated with the City of Golden to get funding to make it happen. If you want to make an impact, take some time to think about the systems that affect your community and how you can make win-win actions.

If you want to make a difference today, sign the support letter here and help us secure funding for the Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program!

Over the past year, our surveys of Coloradans have shown hunger is at three times the level it was before the pandemic. It is even worse for people of color and parents with children at home.

We know families are struggling to cover their basic needs, so we’re advocating to our legislature and Governor to put communities most impacted by COVID-19 and its economic fallout first. Our priorities below will help more families access the healthy food they need to thrive. We hope you will join us.

Our priorities:

Increase state funding for SNAP Outreach
Increasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach funding to $1 million (from $500,000 that was funded last year) will help organizations reach and enroll more Coloradans who qualify for this essential program. SNAP often serves as a first line of defense against hunger, but only about 60 percent of Coloradans with limited incomes are enrolled. This funding can help more eligible Coloradans get the SNAP they are eligible for and purchase the healthy food they choose. This helps our local economy as SNAP recipients spend their benefits at local retailers. The proposed budget does currently contain this funding and we believe we are on the way to this important investment being funded!

Colorado Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program
This year, we are advocating for another round of funding for the Colorado Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program. The program was created to strengthen our local food systems through grants to food banks and food pantries to buy healthy food from local producers. Through the pandemic, the program has been funded at $5.6 million and has helped meet the high demand for emergency food resources caused by the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic fallout. Over 180 pantries in more than 50 counties participated in the program over the last year. We are strongly advocating for a funding commitment of $10 million by our legislature over two years. This funding will continue to help our emergency food providers respond to high need and help our local food producers. To support this request you can email your legislator here.

COVID-19 Relief Dollars
Congress passed legislation, the American Rescue Plan, that included billions of dollars for Colorado state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to help speed up the economic recovery. Hunger Free Colorado has joined anti-hunger and food systems advocates in asking our Governor and legislature to fund programs that address our continuing hunger crisis. This letter outlines COVID-19 relief funding needs that our coalition identified for fighting hunger and supporting food systems.

Continuation of Necessary Document Program (SB21-018)
This program helps low-income Coloradans obtain Colorado driver’s licenses and other essential identification documents necessary to gain access to essential services. These include health care, housing, employment, banking services, travel, and other public benefits.

Agricultural Worker’s Rights (SB21-087)
This bill guarantees agricultural workers in Colorado a minimum wage, overtime pay, meal breaks, numerous other workplace protections, and the right to unionize. This directly addresses the root causes of poverty among agricultural workers and immigrants that sustain our local economies and food systems. Click here to learn more about the bill. To support this important bill, please sign this petition!

Legislation to support immigrant families’ rights:

• Remove barriers for immigrants to attaining certain public services and benefits, including business and professional licenses. One of the exciting benefits of this policy change is that it would allow immigrants to access childcare licensing. This will help our state have more approved childcare providers, ensure children’s safety with trained and approved environments, and allow these providers to participate in child nutrition programs to provide healthy food to the low-income children they care for (SB21-199).
• Protect immigrant data kept by the state government from being used for inhumane deportation purposes that put people’s lives at risk (SB21-131).
• Help more immigrants access legal resources when facing deportation proceedings.
  Without access to a lawyer, immigrants facing deportation, including children, confront an unjust system alone. Having legal representation dramatically increases their ability to successfully navigate a difficult legal immigration process, be released on bond, win their cases, and remain united with their families. and This helps maintain family economic stability and access to the healthy food they need to thrive (HB21-1194).

These policies will help our state through this hard time and continue our work to meet the hunger needs of our state.

Where did your interest in food justice begin? 

When I was young, I had no idea what it meant to be hungry. As an adult, I experienced profound food insecurity. My eyes were opened to the broader issue of hunger in our society. I was also the grateful recipient of services from food pantries and soup kitchens and now enthusiastically support their missions.  

As a chef, I believe it is my responsibility to interact with our community’s food systems in ways that minimize waste. I also work to maximize opportunities to rescue some of the billions of pounds of food discarded every year. I know that building equitable and sustainable local food systems will help fight food insecurity.  

“Food justice work is an ancestor’s errand. I do this work not only because I was hungry, but because those who came before me were hungry. It is our mandate to fight tirelessly to ensure that our descendants do not know the hunger of their predecessors.” 

Russell Goodman

How has the pandemic impacted your community’s needs?  

Community need has undeniably grown because of the pandemic, but communities appear to have pivoted to respond in unique ways. In Steamboat Springs, numerous restaurants and a bowling alley changed their models to serve meals to those in need. This elevated need will continue after the pandemic and it is our responsibility to develop systems and programs to meet that need. 

What’s keeping you motivated? 

I live in a rural region of Western Slope Colorado where, at times, it feels like we lack an advocate voice at the state level. But supporting the Colorado Food Pantry Assistance Grant Program and watching it have a real impact in our community is very meaningful.  

As a regional food coordinator, I can help build new channels of commerce and strengthen our foodshed by linking food pantries and local producers. This work is enduring and has a real effect on the food that is available to consumers at pantries. I wanted to be a regional food coordinator to participate in this process on behalf of my community. 

This work is done at the intersection of public policy and human well-being. In many such policy-driven initiatives, it is difficult to see change taking place in real-time. As regional food coordinators, we have seen incredible growth through statewide initiatives and local, purchase-driven funding programs that have popped up since the beginning of the pandemic. Seeing the direct impact of this work is incredibly special and provides the energy to keep going. 

What challenges do you face while doing this work? 

Working within an entrenched system sometimes means that we encounter roadblocks forged by inequity or inefficiency. It is our challenge to engineer change while working within the very system we are changing. 

How do you envision the regional food coordinator work growing? 

Colorado is a vast and diverse state with many different agricultural, geographical, and cultural centers. I envision more regional food coordinators joining the effort to represent the interests of communities more broadly throughout the state. I also envision us developing an information management infrastructure to support our work, improving the accessibility of our data internally and to others. 

Learn more about Hunger Free Colorado and our partnership opportunities, here.