Dear Hunger Relief Partners,

I am honored to join Food Bank of the Rockies as the new nutrition manager, and look forward to the opportunity to work with you and the Food Bank of the Rockies team to help provide nutritious food to communities and bridge the gap to obtain health equity.

I come from a healthcare background working as a clinical dietitian, specializing in providing nutritional care for patients with various critically acute and chronic diseases. I always emphasize with my patients that nutrition is flexible. We can find nutrients in everything we eat, and eating well entails consuming foods from all food groups and being conscientious. For our neighbors experiencing food insecurity, it’s likely that they are more easily able to access processed, inexpensive foods that promote chronic disease. We aim to support their health by providing nourishing, whole foods through our programs and partnerships with you.

The holidays can be an emotional time, and food can play a vital role in that. In my new position, I hope to promote access to nutritious food while also providing opportunities for our neighbors to make informed decisions about what they eat, and how it can lead to a higher quality of life. Thank you for the vital work you all do; I look forward to working together with you!

Jennie Kim, MPH, RDN
Nutrition Manager
jkim@foodbankrockies.org

Important Dates

Please note that due to the New Year’s Day holiday and a month-end closure, ordering schedules have been updated. Please review the following closely.  A full calendar is available in the link below.

• December 30 – Orders due for pick-ups on January 2
• December 31 – Orders due for pick-ups on January 3; Food Bank of the Rockies will be open until 11:00 a.m. for pick-ups and Fresh Food Center access
• January 1 – Food Bank of the Rockies will be closed for New Year’s Day
• January 7 – New partner and shopper orientation at 10:00 a.m. (virtual)
• January 22 – Tour Food Bank of the Rockies at 10:00 a.m.; in-person new partner and shopper orientation at 10:45 a.m.
• January 29 – Orders due for pick-ups on February 3
• January 30 – New partner and shopper orientation at 1:00 p.m.(virtual); Orders due for pick-ups on February 4
• January 31 – Food Bank of the Rockies will be closed for our Staff Winter Party – no order pick-ups or Fresh Food Center

To sign up for orientation or for questions about any of the dates above, contact partnersupport@foodbankrockies.org. For our full, detailed calendars, please click here.

Community Choice Produce on Partner Express!

Many Hunger Relief Partners have shared a preference to purchase additional produce through us at a low price since we buy in bulk. We are excited to respond by offering Community Choice Produce, now live on Partner Express! Through our neighbor preference surveys, we know that produce like avocados, apples, tomatoes, and broccoli are the most highly desired items, and these preferences will be prioritized. Our first Community Choice Produce is avocados!

The addition of Community Choice Produce will in no way impact the produce you normally receive at no cost on Partner Express. To clarify the different produce options on Partner Express, we have simplified the descriptions; (PURCHASED) will now only be used in the descriptor of items that require a purchase fee.

To find the Community Choice Produce on Partner Express, you can search for produce and you’ll see the (PURCHASED) description on these items. All other produce will still be available at no fee but will now have the descriptor (NO FEE).

Please reach out to partnersupport@foodbankrockies.org with any questions.

Feeding Colorado Advocacy/Policy Update

Get involved! 

You can make a difference by speaking up and speaking out against hunger and its root causes. Are you interested in getting more involved in advocacy? Fill out this form to learn more and get involved! https://forms.office.com/r/2sauRbHR0n

Colorado Delegation

Our members of the U.S. House of Representatives following the 2024 election are:

• District 1: Diana DeGette
• District 2: Joe Neguse
• District 3: Jeff Hurd
• District 4: Lauren Boebert
• District 5: Jeff Crank
• District 6: Jason Crow
• District 7: Brittany Pettersen
• District 8: Gabe Evans

We will be working with the new members of Congress to advocate for strong nutrition programs and will be providing them with education on our network and priorities once they are sworn into office in January. You can find your district here.

Farm Bill 

Feeding Colorado continues to engage with our congressional delegation to promote the network’s priorities in the farm bill. As the lame duck session wraps up, Feeding Colorado is working closely with national partners to flag concerns and opportunities for the Colorado delegation.

Click this link for more information from Feeding America.

Click here to see our press statements about recent versions of the farm bill from the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.

Feeding Colorado Presentations

Would you like to have Feeding Colorado staff present to your agency or local coalition on our role, state priorities, and how to get involved? If so, please reach out to Mandy Nuku at mnuku@feedingcolorado.org to schedule.

Grant Opportunities

Energy Assistance Community Outreach Grant – Deadline is December 20, 2024

This request for proposals will fund nonprofits and exempt organizations with a 501(c)3 status to increase awareness of and enrollment in state and Energy Outreach Colorado energy assistance programs for low- and moderate-income Coloradans. EA Outreach RFP – Energy Outreach Colorado

Program Updates

New Find Food Resource Map Coming Soon!

Exciting news! We will introduce our brand-new online Find Food Map, powered by Vivery technology, in January! With this new interactive map, finding food resources in our community will be as easy as just a few clicks. Neighbors can discover nearby food pantries and essential services, all tailored to their unique needs. Stay tuned for future communications which will include access by our partners to add their specific information to the map.

Tours of Food Bank of the Rockies

Beginning in 2025, the Partner Support Team is excited to offer a monthly opportunity for our Hunger Relief Partners to visit Food Bank of the Rockies for a tour of our facility. We are looking forward to meeting your team members in person and showing you firsthand how we are working together to provide food assistance in our community.

Check for available tour dates and times in this monthly newsletter and our online calendar. Tours will be followed by an optional in-person Hunger Relief Partner orientation for new partners and new shoppers. Whether you want to join for just the tour or for the tour and orientation, we hope you’ll come visit! Please RSVP by emailing partnersupport@foodbankrockies.org to request which month’s tour you’d like to attend, how many team members will be joining, and if you plan to join for just the tour or the tour + orientation.

 SAVE THE DATE – Regional Partner Town Hall Meetings

Join your Hunger Relief Partner peers and members of Food Bank of the Rockies to hear updates and share your insights about what is happening in your communities. Invites and Zoom links will be sent directly with the primary contact on your account. Please feel free to share with others who wish to join.

• Metro Partner Town Hall – Thursday, February 6, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Eastern Partner Town Hall – Wednesday, February 12, from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• Mountain Partner Town Hall – Wednesday, February 12, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Western Slope Partner Town Hall – Wednesday, February 19 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Partner Support

New Fresh Food Center Process

We are implementing a new process to ensure the Fresh Food Center is as fair as possible for all Hunger Relief Partners. There will now be two whiteboards, one in the Hunger Relief Partner waiting room and one located in the Fresh Food Center. These whiteboards will clearly show how many carts you can use, how much bread you are able to take, and if you are able to request additional pallets of product at that given time (based on if we have additional product available).

For example, based on the image below, you could take as much bread as you need, there is a two-cart limit, and you are not able to request additional pallets of product at this time. These whiteboards will be updated daily, if not multiple times throughout the day.

If you have questions about this new process, please email us at partnersupport@foodbankrockies.org.

Government Programs

Everyday Eats Office Hours

Join us during scheduled office hours to ask your questions about Everyday Eats and hear updates from our Government Programs Team.

Tuesday, January 7

Join by Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83238030449?pwd=2SYeapKL7MjgP9afzNeidspMSjBGgW.1

• Meeting ID: 832 3803 0449
• Passcode: 568065

 Wednesday, January 15

Join by Zoom

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85893311642?pwd=CoGatUWqappjkddTKiGbFfWGV1wFT1.1

• Meeting ID: 858 9331 1642
• Passcode: 478236

TEFAP Training Refresher

Has your organization had recent turnovers? Do you think your team would benefit from an in-depth TEFAP refresher session? If so, please contact Vic Derington at vderington@foodbankrockies.org to set up a visit. We are more than happy to stop by!

Food for Kids Update

Holiday Closures

During the holiday season, please make sure that the Food for Kids Team is aware of any upcoming closures that will impact meal service or Totes of Hope™ order delivery.

• For CACFP sites, we need at least 48 business hours’ notice.
• For Totes of Hope™ sites, we need at least two weeks’ notice.

All updates can be emailed to FFK@foodbankrockies.org. Failure to notify the Food for Kids Team within the required time frames could result in a disruption to service at your location.

With your help and communication, we can significantly reduce food waste, delivery and gas costs, and staff time. This saves thousands of dollars annually and ensures we can continue providing nutritious food to children and families in need.

Culturally Responsive Food Initiative Update

The Culturally Responsive Team is excited to share information on a new learning opportunity available to our Hunger Relief Partners: The Community Food Preference Survey Learning Path. This survey enables partners to better understand the unique preferences of their pantry users.

Applications are now open! Watch the video below to learn more. Please reach out to crfi@foodbankrockies.org with any questions.

View Video

New Program Staffing Announcements

Jennie Kim, MPH, RDN – Nutrition Manager

Meet our new nutrition manager, Jennie Kim! Jennie will lead the rollout of HER/SWAP guidelines with our partners (sharing more soon!) to improve neighbors’ access to nutritious foods. She will also oversee the Food for Health Program and support all nutritional aspects of Food Bank of the Rockies’ programming. Jennie has a master’s degree in public health, a Bachelor of Science in nutrition and biochemistry, and is a registered dietitian with over 10 years of experience in healthcare, including food service management and clinical nutrition. A Colorado native, she enjoys spending time with her 9-month-old terrier mix puppy, playing video games, trying new foods, and reading.

Joseph Gavello – Dietetic Intern

Meet Joseph Gavello, who is joining Food Bank of the Rockies as a dietetic intern! Joseph is a recent graduate from Colorado State University where he studied human nutrition and food science. He will be shadowing our new nutrition manager, Jennie Kim.

Originally from the Bay Area in Northern California, Joseph has been in Colorado for a little more than five years. He likes to ski and cook, has picked up gardening as a new hobby, and is a huge sports fan! Food Bank of the Rockies works regularly with dietetic interns from different universities as they look to complete their community rotation, one of the requirements needed to achieve their registered dietitian certification.

Partner Highlight

Red Rocks Community College 

Since opening in November 2021, the Red Rocks Community College (RRCC) Food Pantry has become a vital resource for students, recording over 5,000 visits to date. Initiated by the RRCC’s Student Government Association, the pantry addresses the pressing need for food security among students and is supported by monetary and food donations. This non-need-based, market-style pantry is open to all currently enrolled students, offering a variety of food items that cater to diverse dietary needs. Applied Science student ChiChi is one of the students who uses the pantry, and shared that the pantry’s inclusivity has made a positive impact on her life by alleviating stress and rekindling her passion for cooking. The pantry not only provides immediate relief, but also fosters a sense of community and support among students.

The increasing utilization of the RRCC Food Pantry, which saw a nearly 50% rise year over year, underscores the ongoing challenges students face. The 2022-2023 Community College Survey of Student Engagement survey revealed that 11.5% of students sometimes or often do not get enough to eat, 21.6% have someone in their household who eats less than they should at least once a month, and 10.9% experience a full day without food due to financial constraints. Anatomy student, Christen, a single mother, said that the RRCC Food Pantry has been a lifeline for her, allowing her to choose items she will use and helping her manage expenses. The RRCC Food Pantry stands as a testament to the power of community-driven initiatives in addressing food insecurity and supporting student success.

Neighbor Resources

Job Opportunity: WOLF Pantry Coordinator

Front Range Community College is hiring! The WOLF Pantry Coordinator will oversee the operations of our pantries across three campuses. This position is vital to ensuring the continued success of our efforts to support students and their families with essential food resources.

Learn more and apply:  Part-Time Employment Opportunities | Front Range Community College Careers

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This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Click here for full USDA non-discrimination statement.