Dear Hunger Relief Partners,
Nourishing our communities is more important than ever. In the face of increasing food costs and changes at the federal level, the ability for our neighbors to access nutritious foods has only become more difficult. When living with food insecurity, the risk of developing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease increases because less nutritious foods, like processed snacks, are more affordable and do not need to be prepared. Did you know that over 50% of households that visit food pantries have a member with high blood pressure, and 33% have a member with type 2 diabetes?
Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) is a no-cost nutrition program launched with partners one year ago, in February 2025. It is a way to educate our communities about the nutritional content of pantry foods to better inform food choices. Saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars correlate with chronic disease risk. SWAP incorporates national dietary research related to these nutrients to create a color-coded food ranking system. Foods can be ranked green (choose often to maintain/improve health), yellow (choose sometimes), or red (choose rarely as treats) based on levels of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. The stoplight analogy educates communities on a well-balanced diet.
Food Bank of the Rockies uses these guidelines to purchase and accept food donations. The rankings are in Agency Express. Partners who join the SWAP program receive technical assistance to implement the program and a kit with posters, a ranking guide, and shelf tags to educate neighbors. SWAP has the potential to transform our food landscape by encouraging the donation and distribution of green and yellow foods, thus making more of these foods available to neighbors.
SWAP pantries further support the health of our neighbors by promoting access to nutrient-dense foods for patients in the Food for Health program. This is a 12-month program that provides medically tailored groceries and nutrition education to neighbors who experience food insecurity and a nutritionally managed chronic illness, referred by partnered healthcare providers. SWAP pantries help fill the nutritional needs of these patients beyond the program. Food is a basic need, and SWAP promotes building toward a future where everyone can access the food they need to thrive.
Thank you for all you do in nourishing people facing hunger.
If you are interested in bringing SWAP to your pantry, please reach out to jkim@foodbankrockies.org or (303) 879-0236.
Warm regards,
Jennie Kim, MPH, RDN
Nutrition Manager
Important Dates
Regional Town Halls:
- Wednesday, March 4, 12:00 p.m. – Mountain Quarterly Regional Town Hall (Join the meeting now)
Feeding Colorado Advocacy/Policy Update
Feeding Colorado is the state association of the five Feeding America food banks serving all of Colorado and Wyoming.
- Last month, USDA announced $80 million in Section 32 food purchases to be distributed through TEFAP and other nutrition programs. The purchases will include almonds ($20 million), grape juice ($20 million), pistachios ($20 million), and raisins ($20 million).
- The Colorado State Legislature is now in session. Key focus areas for this session will include navigating a significant state budget shortfall and addressing cost-of-living concerns. We will be working with state legislators to emphasize the importance of the Community Food Assistance Provider Grant, which allows our network to purchase food. We received $1.2 million from this grant last year.
Grant Opportunities
The Clif Family Foundation has an open call for grant applications due March 1 (there is a second cycle with a due date of August 1). Their priorities include regenerative and organic farming, food production workers’ health and safety, healthy food access, and climate justice, among others. Please review their eligibility criteria carefully.
Program Updates
Community Connections
Vivery
Have you heard of our new Find Food Map, through Vivery? If so, have you claimed your link and built out your profile? We are asking that all public-facing Hunger Relief Partners claim their profiles. So far, 49% have claimed their page.
This tool supports neighbors seeking food assistance to find options near them. When every Hunger Relief Partner claims and maintains their profile, neighbors can more easily navigate the hunger relief network, finding food and resources when and where they need them. By updating your profile, you’re not only sharing information about your own services, but you’re also strengthening the network as a whole, helping ensure neighbors are served in the most connected and effective manner. Also, completed profiles will help ensure we can respond better to future emergencies, like the SNAP disruption we experienced at the end of 2025. Hunger Relief Partners can fully operate your own listings, which allows you to make updates regularly to share accurate information about your organization, including hours, programs, and more. Another benefit is integrating your map listing with your own website, creating a page about your food pantry that can be embedded in the organization’s website. Ask us how!
This January, over 20,400 Find Food Map searches took place by neighbors seeking food assistance. We continue to see a high need for food assistance services across our service area.
There is now a dedicated page on our Partner Portal for you to find information about claiming your Vivery profile and adding your program information to the map so neighbors can locate food assistance near them. If you have any questions or need your claim link shared with you, please contact Jill Davis at jilldavis@foodbankrockies.org.
Government Programs
Looking for extra support in managing your TEFAP program? CDHS provides on-demand video trainings covering a variety of topics, including TEFAP management evaluations and nondiscrimination statement requirements. Visit https://cdhs.colorado.gov/TEFAP and open the General Resources dropdown to get started.
Food for Kids Update
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) application will be coming soon! Please keep an eye out for that towards the end of March. SFSP provides free breakfast, lunch, or supper for eligible children between the ages of 5 to 18. Email FFK@foodbankrockies.org if you have any questions.
Food Sourcing Update
More Produce Through End of June
We are excited to announce that we will be increasing our No Fee produce through the end of the fiscal year (June 30)! This means more no-cost produce available to you and our entire partner network. This produce is available to all to order on Agency Express. The incremental loads per week also mean a wider variety of fresh produce each week for partners and neighbors.
New Items Update
The Sourcing team has been working to bring in many new protein items based on partner feedback and requests and neighbor insights. Several examples include: many new varieties of frozen protein (pork chops, ground turkey, ground pork, fish fillets, multiple cuts of chicken); more ready-to-eat protein options (tuna pouches, luncheon loaf, chicken pouches); and whole grain single-serve snacks (dried roasted chickpeas, sandwich crackers, graham crackers, fava bean crisps). Make sure you browse our full inventory or search the “New Items” Feature Type in Agency Express to find these new items!
New Staff Highlights
We’re delighted to introduce Amanda Byers, who brings both heart and operational savvy to our Western Slope team. Amanda has called the Grand Valley home for about two and a half years, landing in Fruita after time spent in Washington and California. Originally from the west coast of Canada, she began her career working in nonprofit organizations before transitioning into operations after immigrating to the United States. She often shares that her role at Food Bank of the Rockies feels like the perfect blend of those experiences; mission-driven work supported by strong systems that help us serve neighbors facing hunger with care and efficiency.
Amanda is an outdoor enthusiast through and through. She loves soaking up everything the Western Slope has to offer, though she admits she’s a little heartbroken about the lack of snow this season! When she’s not working, you might find her dreaming about an early retirement filled with pickleball tournaments (she has big plans for her future pro career), exploring new places, or reminiscing about her time spent overseas and working aboard boats.
A self-proclaimed food lover, Amanda enjoys discovering culture and connection through cuisine. It’s no surprise that someone who values exploration and community feels right at home here, where nourishing, nutritious food brings people together every day.
Amanda, we’re so glad you’re here. Welcome to the team!