A community member attending one of our mobile pantries recently said it best: “For a lot of families, it’s about a crisis, not necessarily prices.” One medical emergency. One car accident. One job loss. One circumstance that is out of anyone’s control and can upend a person’s budget: that’s all it takes to go from being someone who supports Food Bank of the Rockies to being someone who needs Food Bank of the Rockies.
Right now, inflation, rising cost of living, and an overall sense of uncertainty are making life extremely challenging for many of our neighbors. Even if they are currently able to pay their bills and put food on the table, all it would take is one unanticipated hardship to nudge them across the thin line between stability and crisis.
A Neighbor’s Food Insecurity Story
Take Jeff for example. We met him at one of our mobile pantries in Thornton and he shared with us a little bit about what’s been going on in his life. “Right now, my food stamps have been cut down to practically nothing, so I’ve got to get food somewhere. You know, with the heat bills rising and I’m just about to be retired and don’t have any other income other than Social Security — you’ve got to make do with what you can. Sometimes you just need help anywhere you can get it. You’ve got to come out on cold days, warm days, and sift through it. Get what you can get. And God bless you that we’ve got this. Without it, I don’t know what some people would do.”
So many of the neighbors who use Food Bank of the Rockies’ services never imagined they’d be in a place where they’d be in line for food instead of handing out food as a volunteer. But then life happens, and before they know it, they are coming to us for support.
Help Food Bank of the Rockies Make an Impact on Food Insecurity
Due to many reasons, food insecurity is at a more than 10-year high right now and we need your help more than ever. For our neighbors who are towing the line between stability and crisis, for families who are trying to plan for life without the support they’ve come to rely on, for older adults, like Jeff, who are making do as best they can but still need help: We will be there, thanks to your support. Together, we can nourish anyone in our community in need of food.
A Better Future for All with Fulfilled
To continue serving our community today while preparing for increased need in the future, Food Bank of the Rockies is investing in a new Denver-area facility specifically designed to nourish our community. To do this, we have launched the Fulfilled Capital Campaign.
Our vision is about people: creating greater, more equitable opportunities for the families and communities we serve and strengthening our relationships with our partners, volunteers, and staff. By building a larger, purpose-built facility, Food Bank of the Rockies will:
- Expand delivery locations and frequency throughout Colorado and Wyoming
- Save over $500,000 annually through consolidation and sustainability measures, which we will reinvest in our community
- Increase impact by tripling the number of volunteer opportunities
- Reduce food waste and increase sustainability
Fulfilled will allow us to build a more efficient, purpose-built facility to better meet rising demand and support our neighbors facing food insecurity. Please join us in our effort to create a hunger-free future for our communities!
Yes, I’d like to donate to Fulfilled today!
Click here to learn more about Fulfilled and how you get get involved.