Dear Hunger Relief Partners,
September is recognized nationally as Hunger Action Month, a time to raise awareness of food insecurity and inspire action. While this month shines a spotlight on hunger, we know that for you every day is Hunger Action Day.
Each distribution, every neighbor you greet, and every resource you share demonstrates the power of our network in action. Together, we form a network of care that helps ensure people across Colorado have access to the food and support they need.
We are deeply grateful for your tireless commitment and the compassion you bring to this work. Because of you, our collective impact is stronger and neighbors are better able to find food and resources when and where they need them.
To learn more about Hunger Action Month and ways to engage nationally, visit Feeding America’s Hunger Action Month page.
Thank you for being an essential part of this network, and for the role you play in turning Hunger Action Month into a daily reality of hope and nourishment for communities across our state.
With gratitude,
Ashley Newell, Director of Community Building and Food Systems
Important Dates
Closures
- Friday, October 31: No order pick-up and Fresh Food Center is closed – Food Bank of the Rockies closed for our all-staff quarterly training
Hunger Relief Partner Orientations
- Tuesday, October 7, 10:00 a.m. – Hunger Relief Partner Orientation (virtual)
- Wednesday, October 15, 1:00 p.m. – Hunger Relief Partner Orientation (in-person tour + orientation)
- Thursday, October 23, 1:00 p.m. – Hunger Relief Partner Orientation (virtual)
Building Belonging Lunch and Learns
- Tuesday, September 22 – Building Belonging Lunch & Learn on Compassion Fatigue at 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m., more information below
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. They track federal and state changes to make it possible for food banks and Hunger Relief Partners to best nourish neighbors experiencing hunger.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Federal Budget Reconciliation HR-001 made some changes to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) which will increase the number of neighbors seeking food assistance through Hunger Relief Partners. Approximately 615,000 Coloradans receive SNAP benefits. For every meal a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine.
These changes narrowed eligibility, stopped the adjustment of benefit levels to keep up with inflation, and will shift some program costs of administration and benefits to the states and counties. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimates up to 36,000 neighbors could lose all benefits and 160,000 could see benefit reductions. Additionally, 3,100 businesses in Colorado accept SNAP and will see a decrease in sales revenue.
Federal SNAP Changes Timeline Summary
| Action | Timeline |
| SNAP Benefit Cost Shift to States, from 0% to 15% based upon error rate | October 2027 (FY2028) |
| SNAP Administrative Cost Shift to states from 50% to 75% | October 2026 (FY2027) |
| SNAP work requirements for ABAWD’s (Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents) | Effective upon enactment |
| TFP (Thrifty Food Plan) Restrictions (narrows benefit levels keeping up with inflation) | Effective upon enactment |
| SNAP eligibility restrictions for certain legal immigrants | Effective upon enactment |
| SNAP utility allowance and internet deduction changes | Effective upon enactment |
| SNAP Ed nutrition education funding eliminated | October 2025 (FY2026) |
Feeding Colorado and our partner agencies are on the front lines of hunger. Please sign up to learn how you can share the stories and struggles of the neighbors you serve to inform decisions being made by elected officials.
Grant Opportunities
Denver Foundation Capacity Building Fund: Grants range from $500 to $6,000. The deadline for applying is November 17.
New Building Update
Work on our new building in Aurora is continuing rapidly, with our move coming at the end of the year. We are excited about having more dock doors and refrigerated storage so that we can be more responsive to large food donations. We know that you need additional protein and produce, and this building will position us to provide these. The increased demand for food assistance makes this timely.
Be on the lookout soon for opportunities for Hunger Relief Partners to tour our new building!
Program Updates
Community Connections
Regional Town Halls
We enjoyed seeing many Hunger Relief Partners at our three virtual Town Halls in August – for Eastern Plains, Metro Denver, and Mountain Regions. We discussed our brand-new distribution building, federal updates, NeoGov trainings, Vivery Find Food Map, and updates from our Partner Solutions team. If you were unable to join, you can click here to view the recordings.
If you have any feedback on what would make Regional Town Halls most meaningful for you, please share by emailing partnersolutions@foodbankrockies.org.
Find Food Map through Vivery
Have you heard of our new Find Food Map, through Vivery? This tool supports neighbors seeking food assistance to find options near them. In July 2025, 23,883 Find Food Map searches took place from neighbors seeking food assistance on Food Bank of the Rockies’ Find Food Map!
With our updated Find Food Map through Vivery, Hunger Relief Partners can claim and take control of their listings.
There are many benefits to Hunger Relief Partners using their free Vivery Find Food account:
- A profile on the Find Food Map which you can update to share accurate information about your organization, including hours, programs, and more.
- A free, professional website for your agency: Turn your Vivery profile into a sleek website with just a few clicks.
To claim your profile, please reach out to Partner Solutions at partnersolutions@foodbankrockies.org.
Of all public-facing Hunger Relief Partners, 45% have already claimed their profiles! When every Hunger Relief Partner claims their profile, neighbors can more easily navigate the hunger relief network, finding food and resources when and where they need them. By keeping your profile updated, you’re not only sharing information about your own services, you’re also strengthening the network as a whole, helping ensure our communities are served in the most connected and effective way possible.
Partner Solutions: Tip of the Month
Prioritize Mental Wellness in Your Pantry
The work of food access is powerful, and it can also be emotionally heavy. As we continue serving neighbors with care and compassion, it’s important to take steps to protect our own well-being and that of our teams.
Here are a few small ways to support mental wellness in your pantry or organization this month:
- Start team check-ins with one-word feelings: Getting a quick emotional pulse can build connections and normalize honest conversations.
- Make space for breaks: A five-minute walk, deep breathing, or just a moment of stillness can go a long way.
- Celebrate small wins: A kind word, smooth distribution, thoughtful act from a volunteer: share and lift each other up.
- Watch for signs of burnout: Fatigue, irritability, or withdrawal can signal compassion fatigue and it’s okay to pause and ask for help.
- Encourage each other: Sometimes the best thing you can say is, “You’re doing a great job.”
Your emotional health matters. When we care for ourselves and each other, we strengthen our ability to care for our communities.
Food for Kids Update
Totes of Hope®
Please remember to enter your Totes of Hope® distribution information into Link2Feed. This helps us tell the story of the collective impact of the program. We will pause Totes of Hope® orders if Link2Feed entries are not created. Please reach out to partnersolutions@foodbankrockies.org with questions or concerns.
Community-Centered Innovation Update
Building Belonging Lunch & Learn
- Tuesday, September 23, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Join the meeting now
- Meeting ID: 280 471 183 159 3
- Passcode: YA3oK7dh
Join us for a timely and empowering session on compassion fatigue, a growing challenge among those who work in helping roles. Once associated primarily with healthcare, compassion fatigue is now widely recognized across nonprofit, social service, and community-centered fields.
This session will help participants recognize early signs of burnout, understand what makes us vulnerable to compassion fatigue, and walk away with practical tools to build emotional resilience.
Learning Outcomes:
- Identify common signs of burnout and compassion fatigue
- Understand key vulnerability factors
- Strengthen their toolkit for compassion fatigue resiliency
Who Should Attend:
Anyone in a helping role: staff, volunteers, pantry leaders, community organizers, and anyone who wants to maintain emotional well-being while continuing to serve others with compassion and care.
About the Presenter:
Meredith has been a licensed mental health counselor (LPC) within the state of Colorado for the past 12 years and is a certified employee assistant professional. She has had experience in higher education as an academic advisor and director, special education technical trainer, and private practice counseling. She received her master’s in counseling from University of CO-Denver and undergrad at University of Northern Colorado. She has a passion for any type of travel, especially international, which often centers around her love of anything food. Her recipe for a healthy life includes practicing daily compassion and staying curious.
Data & Insights
Link2Feed is a secure and encrypted paperless client intake database offered free of charge to Hunger Relief Partners by Food Bank of the Rockies. No matter the size of your organization, with Link2Feed, you can increase efficiency through automation, improve data management, and enhance collaboration and communication with your neighbors and other Hunger Relief Partners. You can quickly check–in neighbors and track your data accurately and in real time. The Food Bank also provides Link2Feed barcode cards free for our partners. If you are interested in learning more about Link2Feed, the free online intake, and reporting database application, please email L2F@foodbankrockies.org.
For those with Link2Feed experience, we value your feedback on how we can best serve you and our neighbors. Please help us best support your use of Link2Feed via this 5-question survey about how your organization uses Link2Feed. We would love to hear from all of you. Thank you!
https://feedingamerica.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4ILKpMnH0TgmyW2
Food Sourcing Update
While it’s only September, the holidays will be here before we know it! Our sourcing team has been hard at work to ensure we are stocked up with important, popular, and culturally relevant items for our neighbors during our busiest time of year!
Keep an eye on Agency Express for the following Thanksgiving items available starting in mid-September: corn muffin mix, canned sweet potatoes, stuffing, instant potatoes, cranberry sauce, canned gravy, cream of mushroom soup, canned green beans, and canned corn. For protein options, we will offer frozen whole turkeys. Additionally, due to partner requests, we are offering turkey breasts for smaller households for the first time ever. And, of course, we will also have fresh produce to complete neighbors’ holiday tables! For details on any of these holiday items, reach out to Partner Solutions at partnersolutions@foodbankrockies.org.
Program Staffing Announcements
Congratulations LaDonna Valenzuela!
Please join us in congratulating LaDonna Valenzuela on 30 years with Food Bank of the Rockies! LaDonna started in our Partner Order Window and has worked with most of our programs, including TEFAP, Everyday Eats, and Mobile Pantry. Most partners know her and rely on her knowledge because she has done it all! In her current role as Partner Solutions Manager, LaDonna leads the development of our new help desk team to provide timely responses to everyday partner questions. Thank you, LaDonna, for your service and dedication to our partners and mission!
Community Events
Food Justice NW Aurora Food Justice Festival
This multicultural celebration promotes solidarity and collaboration among the growers, food businesses, community-based organizations, and residents of northwest Aurora. It’s an opportunity to have fun and enjoy ourselves, make new connections with local food producers and retailers, and get involved in the food justice movement in our community.
