Table of Contents
Important Dates
Closures:
- Friday, July 31 – Food Bank of the Rockies is closed all day for the All-Staff Quarterly Meeting.
- Monday, August 31 – Food Bank of the Rockies is open until 11:00 a.m. for order pick-up and Fresh Food Center due to month-end closure
Hunger Relief Partner Orientations:
- Wednesday, July 15, 1:00 p.m. – Hunger Relief Partner Orientation (in-person tour + orientation)
- Tuesday, August 4, 10:00 a.m. – Hunger Relief Partner Orientation (virtual)
- Wednesday, August 12, 1:00 p.m. – Hunger Relief Partner Orientation (in-person tour + orientation)
- Thursday, August 20, 1:00 p.m. – Hunger Relief Partner Orientation (virtual)
To sign up for orientation or for questions about any of the dates above, contact partnersolutions@foodbankrockies.org. For our full, detailed calendars, please click here.
Feeding Colorado Advocacy/Policy Update
Feeding Colorado is the state association of the five Feeding America food banks serving all of Colorado and Wyoming.
HB1033 Bill Signing
Feeding Colorado attended the bill signing for HB26-1033, The Tamale Act, which will reduce barriers that currently exist around selling homemade food. Colorado’s anti-hunger network is facing a cascade of challenges from rising costs of food and transportation, cuts to federal programs, and continually elevated levels of need. This is a great step forward that will foster the creation of local businesses and markets and uplift the special and diverse cultures of our state. We are grateful to Governor Polis and to the sponsors of this bill, State Senators Robert Rodriguez and Byron Pelton, and State Representatives Monica Duran and Ryan Gonzales, for their support and leadership to usher this bill through the legislature.
Food Is Medicine Convening
Access to nutritious food has been shown to improve physical and mental health for neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Feeding Colorado recently brought together staff from all five of our food banks for a two-day Food is Medicine convening to explore new and exciting emerging opportunities for Colorado!
Congressional FY27 Appropriations Advocacy
The Senate Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee cancelled a markup of their version of the FY27 appropriations bill and has not yet rescheduled it. The version on the House side included a $200 million cut to WIC, a $140 million cut to the WIC fruit and vegetable benefit, a $5 million cut to TEFAP storage and distribution, and level funding for CSFP (Everyday Eats), which could reduce caseload. The reduction in the fruit and vegetable benefit alone would translate to more than $2 million less for 76,000 Colorado children and mothers. Feeding Colorado continues to advocate with our Senators against the proposed cuts to these essential programs.
Grant Opportunities
- The Denver Foundation has several upcoming grant opportunities to consider, including the Community Grants Program, the Colorado AAPI Circle Fund, and the LatinasGive! Fund.
- Organizations serving Douglas County residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities can apply for funding through the 2026 Developmental Disability Milly Levy (DDML) Grant Program beginning June 15. Visit the Douglas County webpage to learn more and to apply.
Program Updates
Community Connections
Quarterly Regional Town Halls
We enjoyed seeing so many of you during our Town Halls in May/June! We discussed our new Digital Program Update Form; we heard from you on your experiences of the annual Food Safety and Civil Rights trainings through NeoGov, and we heard from Justice Necessary on their work to ensure all Coloradans have access to basic hygiene essentials.
If you weren’t available to join your regional Town Hall, recordings of each can be accessed here. The link to these and past town halls lives in the Partner Portal, in the Partner Resources section.
If you have feedback on what would make future Town Halls most meaningful for you, please let us know by emailing partnersolutions@foodbankrockies.org.
Furniture Available for Partner Pickup
Food Bank of the Rockies has several gently used furniture items available at no cost to Hunger Relief Partners.
Available items include:
- 5 chairs with attached tablet arms
- 1 conference table (121″ L × 48″ W × 30″ H)
- 1 side table (30″ W × 30″ D × 30″ H)
Items are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Partners will be asked to arrange pickup from our Denver warehouse and bring an appropriately sized vehicle for transport. Food Bank of the Rockies staff can assist with loading; however, partners will be responsible for unloading at their destination.
If you or your organization are interested, please contact Shaden Drazick at sdrazick@foodbankrockies.org
Government Programs
We’re excited to invite all CSFP and TEFAP partner agencies to an upcoming USDA Foods Conference on Thursday, July 23!
This session will cover key topics to support your program operations, including:
- Compliance updates
- Feeding Colorado updates
- Inventory best practices
- TEFAP 101
- Everyday Eats 101
Whether you’re new to USDA programs or looking for a refresher, this conference will provide helpful guidance and practical insights for your team.
Culturally Responsive Food Initiative Update
You’re invited to our upcoming Building Belonging Lunch & Learn focused on Partner Safety, especially helpful for new partners or anyone who wants a quick refresher.
What We’ll Cover
- Warehouse safety basics
- Best practices for picking up orders and deliveries
- Tips to help keep staff, volunteers, and neighbors safe
We’ll also have a quick refresher from Tahmina Iqbalzada (Partner Solutions Representative) on how to place an order.
Guest Speakers
- Eddie Rhodes III | Operations Manager: Safety and Facilities
- Gaby Reyes | Facilities & Safety Coordinator
Event Details
- Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2026
- Time: 12:00 – 1:00 P.M.
- Location: Teams Meeting Link
Who Should Join
- New partners
- Staff or volunteers picking up orders
- Anyone who could use a safety refresher
Thank you for everything you do. We’re excited to connect and learn together!