Dear Hunger Relief Partners,
As Food Bank of the Rockies’ new Chief Programs Officer, I am honored to join the Food Bank of the Rockies team and walk along side of each of you as we strive to nourish our neighbors, amplify our collective voices, and shorten the lines in our communities.
It is inspiring to know there are over 600 of you throughout Colorado contributing your time, talent, treasure, and community ties to bring people together to support our neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet and facing tough choices between having sufficient food on the table and paying for other basic needs, such as health and housing.
Our team provides the following resources to you as our Hunger Relief Partners: The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), Everyday Eats (Commodity Supplemental Food Program), Totes of Hope™, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), Food Rescue, and FRESH. Additionally, we offer the Culturally Responsive Food Initiative, SNAP enrollment assistance, and mobile pantries bring food directly where it’s needed the most. Each of you leverages different combinations of these programs to best serve your neighbors.
Our team is here to connect with you to learn how to best meet the needs of the people you serve. We have information to share with you, lessons to learn from you, and opportunities to connect with additional community partners to nourish our communities.
Please contact Christina Gumbiner at cgumbiner@foodbankrockies.org or Jill Davis at jilldavis@foodbankrockies.org at any time so that we can continue to work together.
With respect and gratitude,
Monica Buhlig
Chief Programs Officer
Important Dates
Food Bank of the Rockies Western Slope will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday.
- Closed Thursday, November 28, and Friday, November 29
- No deliveries, pick-ups, or Fresh Food Center
- There will be no make-up days, please plan ahead
- Holiday scheduling changes
- Please alert Becky Richardson at brichardson@foodbankrockies.org if you will be altering your available dates and hours for any upcoming holidays.
Program Updates
Food for Health Program Expands to the Western Slope
We are thrilled to announce the expansion of the Food for Health Program to the Western Slope, an initiative built upon the incredible foundation established by our Denver team! This program recognizes that food insecurity is a key social determinant of health, often linked to chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Through our new partnerships with healthcare providers, we are excited to bring nourishing food directly to those in need, offering support for both their health and nutrition.
The Food for Health Program is designed for patients who have been screened for food insecurity and diagnosed with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease. Healthcare providers use the Hunger Vital Sign, a two-question screening tool, to identify those who would benefit. Once enrolled, participants receive nutritious food tailored to support heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly diets.
Here’s how the program works:
- Months 1-6: Each week, participants receive a pre-boxed assortment of shelf-stable food items and fresh produce. Boxes include fiber-rich, low-sodium, and no-sugar-added options as often as possible. They also come with recipes, culinary tips, and nutrition education from our registered dietitian.
- Months 7-12: Participants transition to a $35 monthly digital produce card, empowering them to choose fresh, frozen, or canned produce from a local store. Interactive, text message-based nutrition programs will also be available during this phase.
We’re especially proud to welcome our new healthcare partners, whose collaboration makes this program possible. Together, we’ll not only address immediate food needs but also work to incorporate food insecurity mitigation strategies into patient care.
Our goal is to serve 150 neighbors on the Western Slope by providing ongoing nourishment and support as they navigate their health journeys. The first Food for Health boxes and produce bags were delivered on October 3, 2024, marking the beginning of this exciting new chapter in our work.
With the support of our nutrition experts and dedicated partners, Food for Health is poised to make a significant difference, offering food as medicine and helping neighbors thrive!
Save the Date – Upcoming Regional Partner Town Hall Schedule
Each quarter, we host virtual opportunities to bring our partners together to listen to your updates and share out any program and process updates that may affect how you nourish neighbors. Meetings include partners by each region in our service area. Please note the dates below; emails will be sent out with Zoom links.
- Mountain Region Partners – November 13, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.
- Western Region Partners – November 20, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.
If you have any questions or do not receive the invites via email, please contact Chris Taylor at 303-375-5830 or christaylor@foodbankrockies.org.
De-escalation and Conflict Management Training
We are excited to inform you that we now have an official Pollack Peacebuilding Trainer on staff!
Jill Davis has completed this certification and is now our Wester Slope Pollack Peacebuilding Trainer. She will be able to continue offering training opportunities to Partners, their staff and volunteers.
Pollack Peacebuilding Systems workshops will provide you with key learning and practice on some essential de-escalation skills that you can use in your roles within your organization, specifically in dealing with escalated situations and individuals.
In this workshop she can cover the following:
- Understanding the root of escalation
- In the moment self-regulation strategies
- Navigating the escalation spiral
- A four-step de-escalation process
- Putting it all together in practice scenarios
For further information and scheduling opportunities, please reach out to Jill Davis at jilldavis@foodbankrockies.org.
Everyday Eats Supplemental Items
With funding appropriated by the state of Colorado, Food Bank of the Rockies is working to increase and distribute supplemental food items such as mixed bags of fresh produce with Everyday Eats food boxes. These funds will also allow us to purchase equipment to reduce participation barriers you may have. To help us distribute these funds, we ask you to complete the survey below. https://feedingamerica.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cMWFGd3RUThsUvQ
Everyday Eats Written Notice of Beneficiary Rights
All organizations participating in Everyday Eats must provide beneficiaries with written notice of their rights at the time of application. We are also being asked to provide existing beneficiaries with individual written notice as soon as possible.
To ease this new requirement, Food Bank of the Rockies has created a QR code that neighbors can scan with their mobile devices to read the document in English and Spanish. In addition, this QR code will contain information about other public assistance programs like Social Security and medical assistance. This QR code will be available on the monthly Everyday Eats Edition newsletter printed and packed in each food box beginning in October.
Please inform neighbors that this information is available to them. The written notices are also here should a neighbor prefer a printed copy.
Upcoming 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.
Thursday, November 7, 9:00 a.m.
- By Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84661488681?pwd=qUfLa7aISw8tYiJJFbnGzsjZZcSDbb.1
- Meeting ID: 846 6148 8681 Passcode: 355070
Tuesday, November 12, 3:00 p.m.
- By Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81188167577?pwd=JR9ylyC4XD3uWQkcUvXHtsOt9woqvH.1
- Meeting ID: 811 8816 7577 Passcode: 705682
Friday, November 15, 11:00 a.m.
- By Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89101180542?pwd=TpKzLHinC6bmnkj4jjPFPT3RY4jh2j.1
- Meeting ID: 891 0118 0542 Passcode: 132308
Emergency Relief Bag Program
For the past year, we have been running a pilot program in which we compiled emergency relief food bags for neighbors in need of urgent hunger relief while awaiting a pantry appointment, and for people with limited cooking or storage facilities. The bags consist of 7-10 shelf-stable items providing approximately 1,000 calories (half a day’s recommended calories) per individual.
Emergency relief bags are now available to all Hunger Relief Partners to order at-cost on Partner Express. They are available in cases of five bags each. The case costs fluctuate slightly with each bagging cycle due to the different components that may be used. Our latest relief bag case currently costs $27.10, which equates to $5.42 a bag and includes a Filo Walking Tamale Bean Salsa Habanero Corn Bar and a Southwest-style bean and grain meal.
If you have questions or feedback, please reach out to CRFI@foodbankrockies.org.
Food Sourcing Update
Announcing new Supplemental Produce Purchase Program
Exciting news! During our recent discussions with many of you, you shared a preference to purchase additional produce through us at a lower price since we buy in bulk. We’ve heard you, and we are working through what a supplemental produce program would look like. Our hope is to roll this out this month, so please stay tuned! This will in no way impact the produce you receive at no cost through our FRESH and Food Rescue programs. This is optional, and the produce will regularly be available to purchase via Agency Express.
We know fresh produce is a priority, and we will continue providing as much as possible at no cost within the parameters of our budget. Through our neighbor preference surveys, we know that produce like avocados, apples, tomatoes, broccoli, and so on are the most highly desired items. When this supplemental produce program launches, we will prioritize making highly preferred items available for purchase. Please note that we will provide more details in the next Partner Newsletter.
Partner Highlight
Beef Sticks for Backpacks
Beef Sticks for Backpacks is a Colorado-based public 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces and donates beef sticks to backpack programs for children experiencing food insecurity in Colorado. Right now, 1 in 7 children in Colorado are unsure about where they will get their next meal and, on the weekends, many of these children do not have access to food when they are away from school. Since 2019, Beef Sticks for Backpacks has donated over 2.5 million beef sticks and currently is distributing 20,000 beef sticks each week across the state of Colorado.
Food Bank of the Rockies’ Totes of Hope™ program is including beef sticks as part of the backpack program each week during the school year to send home with kids who are experiencing food insecurity. Backpack programs are faced with rising food costs and the challenge of finding shelf-stable food that is not only nutritious, but also something that kids will eat. Our goal is to put one beef stick in each Totes of Hope™ bag. Not only are these beef sticks nutritious, but kids love them!
These beef sticks are produced by Colorado State University students at their USDA facility within the College of Animal Sciences. This strategic partnership allows the acceptance of in-kind donations from industry partners which allows Beef Sticks for Backpacks to give away three beef sticks for every dollar that they raise!
Staff Highlight
This month, we’re excited to highlight Lindsey Wiltse, an integral part of our Food Bank of the Rockies Western Slope team! As our Development Coordinator, part of her position involves tirelessly composing handwritten thank-you cards to ensure that each neighbor that donates to Food Bank of the Rockies knows they are having an impact in nourishing our community.
Lindsey grew up in southeast Aurora and has been living in Grand Junction for five years, having moved here to attend Colorado Mesa University. Before joining Food Bank of the Rockies, Lindsey worked with the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce, overseeing membership and organizing beloved community events like the Fruita Farmers’ Market and the Fruita Fall Festival. Lindsey’s passion for her community shines through in everything she does — she even serves on two local boards, the Community Impact Council and the Colorado Mesa University Alumni Association.
Outside of work, Lindsey loves spending time with her husband, riding their side-by-side, and attending local craft fairs. She also has a one-year-old yellow lab named Luke, and she and her husband are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first daughter in late December!
Lindsey’s heart for community service and improving the lives of her neighbors drew her to Food Bank of the Rockies. Her dedication to addressing food insecurity and supporting people in need is clear, making her an invaluable asset to our mission.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Click here for full USDA non-discrimination statement.
