Throughout the pandemic and during a time of historic inflation, with inspired support from people like you, we did what we felt was impossible and met the increased need across our community. And we’re not stopping.
Keeping the momentum of 2022 going, we are looking ahead at 2023 with hope and determination. We invite you to join us in our excitement for our 45th anniversary year, which we will dedicate to continuing to serve our community with equity, dignity, and care. Here are some of the ways we plan to do that this year, as told to you directly from the team members spearheading the charge.
Food For Kids
Kodi Phelps, Food For Kids Manager
In 2023, we hope to launch taste-testing activities with Food Bank of the Rockies Sous Chef Clinton at our sites receiving meals from the kitchen. We also look forward to doing more community outreach to find areas of need to expand our services to and continuing to provide support to our current partners to ensure everyone has what they need to succeed.
Culturally Responsive Food Initiative
Ashley Newell, Culturally Responsive Manager
We are excited to offer our Hunger Relief Partners and mobile pantry distributions a newly developed visual food preference survey to create site-specific Community Food Preference Reports. Being able to measure our Community Response Rates will help us identify and address barriers to access and demonstrate our response to the needs of our neighbors.
Additionally, the third cohort of our Inclusive Capacity Program will be launching in 2023, which provides eligible partners with food credits and funds for language services as well as training in inclusive best practices to ensure we are serving all our clients with dignity and equity.
Sourcing
Shaina Knight, Director of Food Sourcing
In the upcoming year, we are looking forward to growing our Grocery Rescue team and increasing donations from manufacturers and retailers for our Hunger Relief Partners. This will help expand the variety of food available to our clients.
The Food Sourcing team is also excited to continue supporting our local economies by supporting local businesses and agricultural partners.
Operations
Steve Kullberg, Chief Operations Officer
Our team is hard at work defining underserved geographies in Colorado and Wyoming in order to inform a targeted service-area expansion plan to best meet the needs of anyone in our region in need of food assistance. In 2023, we will be assessing and quantifying how to roll out said plan.
Western Slope
Sue Ellen Rodwick, Director
We opened and began operating out of the brand-new Western Slope Etkin Family Distribution Center in Grand Junction in December, and are looking forward to increasing the amount of food distributed through our programs by 140% in the coming years.
Wyoming
Rachel Bailey, Executive Director
Food Bank of Wyoming (the Wyoming-based distribution center of Food Bank of the Rockies) is focused on listening to the state’s 150+ Hunger Relief Partners and being responsive to the challenges they face. By coming up with innovative solutions to help our partners expand their capacity, grow their volunteer bases, and improve financial resources, we can help them more equitably serve their communities and get food to anyone who needs it.
We are able to provide these resources to our neighbors thanks to you, our valued and dedicated supporters. With your backing, we are able to look forward to 2023 with hopeful anticipation and optimism, knowing that wherever there is a need, together we will find an innovative, effective way to meet it. Together, we can.
