I’m thrilled to share the amount of progress we’ve made on our future distribution center since my last update email. It is truly starting to feel like home.
Progress includes framed offices; completed HVAC, electrical, and plumbing, all just awaiting sheetrock; installed doors that enable us to secure the building; continued work on the roof; and, most importantly, we are on or ahead of schedule! Check out this recent video that highlights our progress! We hope you are as excited as we are for the positive impact your contribution and this facility will have on hunger relief across the region.
A Future Full of Opportunities
April is volunteer appreciation month, and at Food Bank of the Rockies we’re excited to celebrate all the incredible people who donate their time and energy to helping us nourish our neighbors! The new building will have the capacity to welcome three-times as many volunteers and allow us to introduce brand-new programs and volunteer opportunities.
Right now, the time volunteers dedicate to our mission equates to the work of 72 full-time employees. That’s already amazing, and in our new building, it will be even more so because triple the volunteers means triple the impact, or the equivalent of 216 full-time employees. Some of the new opportunities we’ll be able to offer to volunteers include a space specifically dedicated to repackaging dried goods and helping fulfill Hunger Relief Partners’ requests through the new Order Ahead Program, which allows partners to procure specific items in smaller amounts for the neighbors they support.
“The best part of my day is working with volunteers. I appreciate every single hug, smile, and all the love we receive from them,” shared Adilene Chaparro, Volunteer Operations Supervisor. “They remind me that there is good in this world, and I’m excited by all of the additional opportunities that the new building will provide. We are so grateful for their commitment, passion, and support. We could not do this work without them.”
Food Bank Volunteers Donate More than Time to Make New Distribution Center a Reality
Mike Kenyon remembers what it was like to be hungry as a child growing up in Detroit. He recalls how he and the other neighborhood kids would walk to a government center to collect canned goods, powdered milk, and cheese. Eight years ago, Mike began volunteering with Food Bank of the Rockies as a way to give back. “I see families suffering today like we did in the 1950s,” he shared. “Some donate [to the Food Bank] because they suffered from food insecurity when they were younger — that’s my own story. Volunteering is critical for me. Now, I can make people’s lives better.”
Martha King began volunteering with Food Bank of the Rockies five years ago during the height of the pandemic, helping process the extra food that was coming in from restaurants and food suppliers due to the public health emergency shutdown. “There were so many people that were out of work; the demand sky-rocketed,” she said.
Martha currently volunteers at the Denver Distribution Center five days a week, and she also lends a hand in the kitchen where she helps prepare meals for kids enrolled in after-school programs. “It does get crowded in the kitchen,” Martha said. “We’re crammed into this room, elbow-to-elbow.”
In addition to volunteering her time, Martha has contributed financially to the Food Bank for nearly 20 years. Martha has also invested in the new Denver Distribution Center through the Fulfilled Capital Campaign.
Alan Dickman is another longtime volunteer, as well as a monthly donor. In 2024, like Martha, he made an extra financial contribution toward the construction of the new Food Bank facility. Alan said he was pleasantly surprised when he learned his donation to the Fulfilled Campaign earned him a special tax deduction from Colorado. He said he plans to make the extra contribution again this year.
The more he volunteers, the more Alan witnesses how worthwhile the Food Bank’s work is. “There’s a lot of food insecurity in Colorado,” he shared. “I have a desire to give back, because I’ve been lucky in my life. Donating and volunteering is good for you, and good for the community.”
Mike, Martha, and Alan have all been honored over the years with volunteer appreciation awards for their deep commitment to hunger relief. We’re thankful for their support and the support of all our wonderful volunteers. Check out this video featuring Martha, our 2025 Betty Van Hook Volunteer Award winner, to learn more about why she is passionate about our mission!
Thank you for your support!
