COLORADO — Families across Southern Colorado continue to feel the impacts of inflation, rising costs of gas, and the most recent reduction of SNAP benefits adds to the growing need for supplemental food supplies.
The Governor's Office, Department of Human Services, and Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger announced a distribution of $4.05 million in emergency funding Tuesday, from the State of Colorado to 245 food pantries across Colorado through the Food Pantry Assistance Grant (FPAG).
This comes after the Colorado Department of Human Resources redirected $14 million in funding in 2023 specifically for supplementing food pantries and food banks. According to the state, nearly 300 food pantries applied for the grant with combined requests for assistance totaling $9.8 million.
“All of the food pantries awarded funding align with the program goals and our commitment to equity,” shared Dana Wood, the Blueprint’s Community Investment Manager. “By working with CDHS and the Governor’s office to distribute these grants, we’re moving closer towards our vision of a Colorado where everyone who lives here can access the food they choose, where they want it, and when they need it.”
The Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger is a non-profit and 5-year plan drafted in 2018 by the Colorado Health Foundation, state and local governments, and advocacy groups to aim at ensuring no Coloradan sufferers from hunger.
Locally in southeastern Colorado forty local food banks and pantries will be receiving a piece of the funding. We have broken them down by list and region below.
Pikes Peak:
Custer, Fremont, Elbert, El Paso, Pueblo, and Teller counties
- Atlas Preparatory School, Inc.
- Catholic Charities of Central Colorado
- Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pueblo, Inc. (dba Catholic Charities of Southern Colorado)
- Center Toward Self Reliance
- Chinook Center
- City of Pueblo
- Connections 4 Life Center
- Crosses for Losses
- Crossfire Ministries
- Eastside Action Support Team (E.A.S.T.)
- Ecumenical Church of Pueblo West
- Food to Power
- Fresh Start Center
- Full Force Ministries SOG, Inc.
- Hanover Outreach Center, Inc.
- Loaves and Fishes Ministries of Fremont County
- Lynn Gardens Baptist Church
- Mercy's Gate
- Minnequa Post 3641, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
- Mount Calvary Lutheran Church
- Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center
- New Direction Agape Services
- Pikes Peak Christian Church
- Pueblo Cooperative Care Center
- Ranch House Ministry, Inc.
- Solid Rock Community Development Corp.
- St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
- Teller Senior Coalition
- The Pantry of Fremont
- Tri-Lakes Cares
- True Life Community Church / The LIFE Center
Southeast:
Baca, Bent, Crowley, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, and Prowers counties
- 5 Loaves Pantry (5LP)
- Dorcas Circle
- La Veta Village, Inc. (fiscal sponsor for La Veta Village Food Services)
- Las Animas Helping Hands
- Las Animas School District RE-1
- Small Town Project
- Somebody Cares Project
- Sparrow House Ministries
- Town of Olney Springs
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