03.26.20

Grantee Spotlight: Community Food Share

Grantee Spotlight: Community Food Share

“We recognize that the recovery period for COVID-19 in our community will last much longer than the virus alone. It’s only with the support of philanthropic leaders like Community Foundation Boulder County that we’ll be able to provide the nourishment needed to support our community now – and in the future.”

Since establishing the COVID-19 Response Fund Boulder County, your Community Foundation has released the first round of 14 grants totaling $120K. 

 
These grants are being given to frontline organizations – like Community Food Share – that serve county residents who are most at risk of the virus, and living in poverty or belonging to an historically underserved population. 
 
“We recognize that the recovery period for COVID-19 in our community will last much longer than the virus alone,” says Julia McGee, Director of Communications, Community Food Share. “It’s only with the support of philanthropic leaders like Community Foundation Boulder County that we’ll be able to provide the nourishment needed to support our community now – and in the future.
 
“The grant we received through the Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund Boulder County helped us place an immediate order for four additional truckloads of food – each with approximately 42,500 pounds of food – to address the overwhelming need in our community.” 
 
Adds Julia, “More than 40K of our neighbors relied on our network of food pantries and meal programs, even before COVID-19. In the week following statewide school and business shutdowns, we hit record-breaking distribution numbers for our Louisville facility – evidence that as layoffs continue at a staggering rate, more and more community members are needing help for the first time.
 
“We have a network of food pantries and meal programs that are ready to help, including our mobile pantries and our onsite, drive-through pantry [Feeding Families].”
 
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Continues Julia, “Food banks and pantries are among the ‘essential businesses’ exempt under stay-at-home orders, and we want to assure everyone that Community Food Share will remain open and continue to serve the community during these public health orders.” 

 
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“The best way to help us keep our community fed is by donating to our COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund,” concludes Julia. “Financial support gives us flexibility to best respond to emerging and growing needs – for every $1 donated, we can provide $5 worth of groceries.

 
“We also need healthy, low-risk volunteers to help us continue our work.” 
 
To remain up to date on Community Food Share’s COVID-19 response, visit communityfoodshare.org/coronavirus.
 
According to Julia, visit communityfoodshare.org/get-food to find a program that best fits your needs, or the needs of someone you know. Community Food Share is also reachable at 303.652.3663, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30p.m. And for residents outside Boulder and Broomfield counties, this tool can help you find your local food bank.