Over 100,000 of our Denver neighbors are currently experiencing food insecurity. The information below is to connect our community with resources to both give and receive assistance. Scroll down to see how to donate, how to receive assistance, and how to volunteer.
How to Donate:
Food Bank of the Rockies is the largest centralized resource for food distribution in the Denver Metro area. Because of its purchasing power and agreements with agricultural and retail partners, your financial donation to the food bank often goes farther than a donation of product could. Click here to easily donate online to Food Bank of the Rockies.
Feeding Colorado is “the partner state association of the five Feeding America food banks that serve Colorado and Wyoming.” The local bank affiliated with Feeding Colorado is the Food Bank of the Rockies; you can donate directly to FBR at the link above, or you can click here to donate to Feeding Colorado to support the agency that coordinates the regional food banks.
211Colorado, powered by United Way, is a database for a broad spectrum of community support beyond food banks. A donation to 211Colorado can help provide food for those who need it, emergency basic supplies, and assistance with housing and other services.
Donate once, or join the Full Plate Society as a recurring monthly donor, to Hunger Free Colorado. This organization connects people to food resources and assists access to SNAP–and right now, they’re working hard to help people fill the gap in unpaid SNAP benefits.
The City and County of Denver has collection bins at Montclair Rec Center for shelf-stable foods, unopened hygiene products, infant formula and diapers, and household cleaning supplies. Be sure all food items are unopened and unexpired. You can also donate unopened pet food at the Denver Animal Shelter (1241 W. Bayaud Ave.) or through this Amazon wish list.
Did you know there is a soup kitchen in near walking distance? Friends of St. Andrews is at 1525 Dallas Street and offers a hot lunch weekdays from 10:15-11:30. Friends does not have online donation capabilities at this time, but you can make out a check to Friends of St. Andrew and mail it to Friends of St. Andrew, 1525 Dallas St., Aurora, CO 80010.
Another local group that could always use your financial help is the food pantry at Lowry Elementary School. Three-quarters of the families at Lowry receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch, and the school can use your financial donations to purchase grocery cards to supplement non-perishable food bank items. Donate to Lowry Elementary’s Cheddar Up campaign here.
Our local high school, George Washington High School, also maintains a food pantry for its student families. Click here to donate directly to this fund to help keep students fed.
How to Find and Receive Resources:
- Food Bank of the Rockies hosts multiple pantries, permanent and pop-up, all over the Metro. There’s a drive-through pantry on the fourth Tuesday of each month, from 9:00-11:00 in the morning, in the parking lot of the Lowry Community College Campus. Click here to search the map of all Food Bank of the Rockies pantries. Proof of income is not required to receive aid here, but online accounts are required for administration and allocation purposes.
- 211 Colorado is a resource hub designed to connect people to the things they need, provided by seven nonprofit organizations. A map of food bank and mobile pantry locations is here; click here to find other types of assistance by category including housing, immigration services, and support for children with special needs.
- Feeding Colorado supports food banks throughout Colorado and Wyoming; click here for their map of food banks and pantries. Note that not every pantry is affiliated with the FBR system and may have different registration and/or access policies.
- Hunger Free Colorado is another great resource for getting the help you need. The Food Finder page helps direct you to the aid you qualify for; it’s largely food-oriented but also includes links to tax preparation assistance, aging and disability resources, and youth and family housing and support, among other things.
- The Tasty Food program feeds school-age kids after school and on Saturdays. All children, ages 3-18, are welcome at Montclair Rec Center from 3:30-6:30 on weekdays and Saturdays from 11:00-1:00 for lunch. No registration or ID is required!
- The Jewish Family Service Weinberg Food Pantry is available twice a month; preregistration is required, and you will be assigned a shopping time slot. Jewish Family Service also operates mobile food pantries, including a recurring one at the Lowry Health Clinic at 1001 Yosemite; these mobile pantries are first-come, first-served, so come early.
- Hot lunches are available, for free, weekdays at Friends of St. Andrew, 1525 Dallas Street. Lunch is served from 10:15-12:30; food baskets are offered Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10:00-11:00 on a first-come, first-served basis. Baskets are offered one per household per month; any proof of address or form of identication can be used to set up an account and no income threshold is required.
- If you need help feeding your furry family members, check out the Colorado Pet Pantry! There are opportunities for pet food at some human food banks as well as some resources strictly for animals.
- And if you’d rather find resources on your phone via an app, check out plentiful and hungree to find food and/or meals near you.
Volunteer Opportunities Around Us
If you prefer to donate your time and energy, try one of these local options:
The Food Bank of the Rockies offers volunteer shifts six days a week, mostly at the main distribution center at I-70 and Quebec. Sign up for shifts individually or as a group of five or more here. Here’s a flyer explaining what to expect of the different types of volunteer roles.
The Silver Ropes Volunteer Corps, comprised of Lowry Residents, has several scheduled shifts at the main FBR facility. Check out LUN’s list of dates here.
Some of your neighbors, including Steam Plant Lofts resident Lynn Dierker, volunteer at the Friends of St. Andrews facility, which serves a free hot lunch on weekdays. If you’d like to join in volunteering at this very close-by food bank and soup kitchen, contact Deacon Bob Uphoff at 303-364-2329.
George Washington High School maintains a comprehensive online sign-up sheet for volunteers to help with its food pantry. Click here to see the many volunteer options.