There has been an undeniable increase in need in many smaller and rural Colorado communities, especially now. Our Western Slope services have gone from receiving two trucks of food products per week to upwards of 11, some of which are directly provided by the USDA.

COVID-19 and the 2020 Western Slope wildfires have heightened the need for food in the region since March 2020, and we have met this increased demand head-on. Figuring out how to double down on our distribution efforts during the pandemic was a challenge, but with community support, we have charted a new course. In the past year, we:

• Received over 62,000 pounds of fresh, local produce from the Colorado State University Western Colorado Research Center program to distribute to our Hunger Relief Partners
• Worked hand-in-hand with local partners and volunteers to meet the demand
• Distributed enough food to provide over 26,700 meals every day
  
  

All in all, we distributed more than 12 million pounds of food in the Western Slope in 2020. And so far in 2021, we’ve distributed over 10 million pounds — enough to help provide over 7 million meals to our Western Slope neighbors.

In addition, we are focused on expanding the reach of our signature programs like Mobile Pantries; Food for Kids, including meals, snacks, and Totes of Hope™ take-home food bags; and home delivery services for community members who are high-risk.