We talk a lot about doing our best to make sure the food we provide to our Hunger Relief Partners and clients nourishes people’s lives as well as their bodies. But what does that look like in practice?
One example of this work: sourcing culturally responsive food for Ramadan. Ramadan began on March 22, 2023, and will end 30 days later on April 21 with the celebratory days of Eid al-Fitr. During Ramadan, community members of the Islamic faith typically fast during daylight hours, beginning their day with Suhoor (morning meal) before the first prayer of the day and breaking their fast traditionally by eating dates before Iftar (evening meal), which is normally eaten with friends and family. Eid al-Fitr, meaning “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” is the important holiday that follows the month of Ramadan. It is a time for great feasts, the giving of gifts to children, and spending time with friends and family.
To ensure our Muslim neighbors are able to celebrate this important holiday with the types of food that are traditionally associated with it, our team members sourced several items to make available to our Hunger Relief Partners. These foods included halal chicken drumsticks, dried dates, raisins, almonds, pistachios, honey, minced garlic, and more.
Throughout the year, in addition to sourcing specific items for holidays such as Ramadan, we operate 30 culturally responsive mobile pantries in Colorado and three in Wyoming, and make available as many culturally responsive food items as possible to our Hunger Relief Partners. Nourishing our communities means more than just putting food on plates. It means listening to our neighbors, respecting varying cultural values, and meeting those needs and desires to the best of our ability. Thank you for helping us do this important work.
Click here to learn more about our Culturally Responsive Food Initiative.
