Food for Kids

Each tote contains a variety of shelf-stable, nutritious food typically including: grains, fruits or vegetables, easy to prepare meal items, and children’s breakfast/snack items.

Some items you can expect to receive are listed below:

Sample Menus

Summer and after-school meals include nutritious, single-servings of grains, vegetables, fruit, and protein that are prepared and safely sealed in Food Bank of the Rockies’ commercial kitchen. Food Bank of the Rockies follows USDA nutrition guidelines for summer and after-school meals.

To find food near you, visit our Find Food locator at https://www.foodbankrockies.org/find-food/.

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded, state-administered program that reimburses program operators who serve free healthy meals and snacks to children and teens in low-income areas. 

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded, state-administered program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks purchased to serve to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, home day care centers, and adult day-care centers; participating in after-school care programs; children residing in emergency shelters; and income-qualifying adults over the age of 60. 

Totes of Hope™ is a Food Bank of the Rockies signature program funded directly through donations.

Sites for Totes of Hope™, summer (SFSP), and after-school (CACFP) meals are largely chosen through two avenues: One is via recruitment, outreach, and community input; another is via direct applications by schools, rec centers, after-school clubs, libraries, church groups, etc. who have children in need of nutritious meals. 

Preferably, sites for all programs will serve a community where at least 50% of students qualify for free and reduced meals. Please contact FFK@foodbankrockies.org with any questions.

We are always looking for new sites! If you are interested in becoming a CACFP partner, apply here (please download first before completing this form). If you are interested in becoming a Totes of Hope™ partner, apply here. If you’re interested in becoming a SFSP partner, apply here. (Please note that SFSP applications are only accepted between March and June.) 

After-school meals (CACFP) are provided to sites hosting after-school programs with enrichment activities in a neighborhood with at least a 50% free and reduced meal rate among area students. They are distributed to kids who partake in these programs and are eaten on site.

Summer meals (SFSP) can be served at sites that are open to the public or via programs requiring enrollment in a neighborhood with at least a 50% free and reduced meal rate among area students. Site examples include community centers, libraries, day camps, apartment complexes, religious organizations, etc.

Totes of Hope™ sites can be any space in the community where kids are in need of food, preferably in areas with at least a 50% free and reduced meal rate among area students. Each site should request and distribute a minimum of 20 totes per site. Sites are responsible for providing their own bags in which to pack food at their site.

All food provided by CACFP, SFSP, and Totes of Hope™ must be served at no cost to participants.

All programs are aimed at school age children between the ages of 5 and 18.

1 in 9 children in Colorado and 1 in 8 children in Wyoming are at risk of food insecurity. Food for Kids programs provide much-needed stable, nutritious meals and snacks to kids experiencing hunger, freeing them to focus on growth and learning rather than worrying about where their next meal will come from. 

• Totes of Hope™: Any child between the ages of 5 and 18 years old at a participating Totes of Hope™ partner site.
• After-school meals (CACFP): Any child between the ages of 5 and 18 years old attending an after-school program partnering with Food Bank of the Rockies for the program.
  
• Summer Meals (SFSP): Site dependent. If the site is open to public, any child between the ages of 5 and 18 years old qualifies. If the site requires enrollment for its programs, children must be enrolled to receive meals.

Please contact FFK@foodbankrockies.org with any questions.

Currently there are no income qualifications for any of these programs.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact FFK@foodbankrockies.org