I spent this morning at Community Food Share with photographer, Donald Ungerman of Fifty 10 Photography. We were there to capture the work of CFS in action, and during the hour we spent touring the facility with Director of Operations, Michael StaffordCrane, I learned a few things I want to share with the broader community.
Boulder County is frequently assumed to be a place of abundance for all. It might surprise some folks to learn that Community Food Share turned over its floor inventory of food eighteen times in 2008. This is compared to the national average of food banks turning over their inventory eleven times. Clearly local folks are in need of assistance.
StaffordCrane also told me that, while a donation of food will never be turned away, Community Food Share is at physical capacity–distributing over 5 million pounds of food last year. All food distributed to member agencies or through direct distribution is at no charge. The demand for food, as illustrated by the statistics quoted above, is high and increasing with the current economic crunch. He noted that so many people are coming to shop during “Feeding Families” that a parking lot attendant has been necessary to keep things moving and running smoothly. Indeed, during the hour we were there, I estimate over fifty people were shopping for food, while volunteers busily assisted shoppers and stocked shelves.
As you might expect, Community Food Share relies heavily on volunteers. The number of annual volunteer hours is equivalent to seventeen staff positions. Participants of Employment Link, a local organization that actively supports the inclusion of people with disabilities into our community, are frequent helpers.
Before I went to the photo shoot this morning, I knew about CFS’s services and generally about needs in Boulder County, but my visit really drove home how great the need is and what a great operation Community Food Share is. To learn more about donating, volunteering, or using services, visit www.communityfoodshare.org.
