Food Bank of the Rockies
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Food Bank of the Rockies

Dear Hunger Relief Partners,

With the spring comes renewed hope. The increasing availability of vaccinations has relieved some of the stress and fear of COVID-19, and we here at Food Bank of the Rockies are looking to the future of food pantry operations. The recent Food Bank of the Rockies Partner Town Hall showcased best practices from partners of varying size and type of operation which provided healthy, encouraging dialogue about welcoming our guests through client choice.

During the town hall, we mentioned a recently published book for pantry operations. We recommend Reinventing Food Banks and Pantries: New Tools to End Hunger by Katie S. Martin to you as a resource for working toward our shared goal of ending hunger.

As we emerge from what feels like a long season of darkness, there is a freshness in the air. Yet, we recognize the need for further efforts to continue fostering equity in our communities. We are committed to being part of the solution. We believe that for a community to thrive, every member must have the resources they need to flourish, and we strive to provide equitable access to proper nourishment for all.

Thank you for partnering with us,

Steve Kullberg, Chief Operating Officer
Cindy Mitchell, Vice President of Programs

Food Bank of the Rockies Closures and Important Dates

Please see the May Calendar for ordering deadlines affected by the May 31 holiday closure.

Upcoming important dates:

  • Wednesday, May 12: Link2Feed Training 9:00—10:30 a.m.
  • Thursday, May 27: Link2Feed Training 12:00—1:30 p.m.
  • Monday, May 31: Memorial Day: closed for order pickups and all operations.

View our 2021 Calendar for additional important dates.

Upcoming Event: City of Aurora Summer Kick-Off

On Saturday, June 5, starting at 10 a.m. at Overland High School in Aurora, community members can get grab-and-go meals, food boxes, books, and other kid-friendly items at the City of Aurora Summer Kick-Off, a multi-partner food and resources distribution event including Food Bank of the Rockies. Please share this flyer with community members living in or near Aurora.

Programs Team Contact List Updated

The Programs Contact List has been updated to reflect recent staffing changes.

New Look for CSFP Food Boxes: EverGreen Box

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) food boxes have received an update. CSFP continues to provide the same nutritious, shelf-stable products to adults over the age of 60, but you will notice the box has a different look and a new program name: EverGreen Box.

In place of a plain brown box, the new box now bears our fresh logo and EverGreen label. EverGreen Boxes will still include program newsletters and recipe cards to prepare nutritious meals with the enclosed components.

If you are interested in referring a client to an EverGreen Box pick-up location, please visit our website at www.foodbankrockies.org/food and search under "Program Type" for EverGreen Boxes.

Home delivery of the EverGreen Boxes is also available in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, and Jefferson counties. To schedule a home delivery, please call 720-357-0019 to sign up.

If you are interested in becoming an EverGreen Box distribution site, please email Gloria Vasquez at gvasquez@foodbankrockies.org.

Please share this flyer with your community and neighbors. Help us provide nutritious food to eligible adults over 60.

Food For Kids: Summer Meals

The Food for Kids team is excited to announce the release of our Summer Food Service Program application. If your organization provides summer activities for kids ages 18 and younger, and you would like to provide meals daily, please consider being one of our Summer Food Service Partners.

Due to the extension of the USDA Child Nutrition Waivers, it has never been easier nor more rewarding to participate in this program and provide meals to kids in need of extra nourishment over the summer when school meals are not available.

Food Bank of the Rockies is assessing the ability to provide frozen meals to our rural communities where fresh daily meal deliveries are not available. Please contact us if you would like to be considered for our frozen meal pilot. Required trainings are provided by Food Bank of the Rockies.

Organization eligibility is included on the application. If you have questions, please contact Brandy Webb at bwebb@foodbanrockies.org or 303-375-5862.

Kids’ Meals Added at Saturday Distribution

In April, Food Bank of the Rockies started providing meals for kids at our monthly Saturday food distribution. Families who arrive with children are eligible to receive a tote carrying two breakfasts and two lunches, plus 32 oz of shelf-stable milk for children to consume over the weekend. Due to the extension of the USDA Summer Food Service Program waivers, Food Bank of the Rockies will be able to continue offering these take-away meals monthly (see FBR distribution calendar) through August.

Girl with meal

Food Bank of the Rockies’ Totes of Hope®

Our Totes of Hope® program also provides food to children on Fridays to create weekend meals when school is out. This program now regularly includes breakfast items, milk, and recipes in English and Spanish. The recipes advise families on how to craft a meal with the contained product components.

For partners with the ability to receive and distribute, we have included fresh produce in our totes. We are currently providing 725 bags of produce weekly with a pilot program and hope to expand in the near future.

We have the capacity to assist more partners with totes and to extend the program through the summer months. If you are interested in learning more or would like to become a Totes of Hope® partner, visit here for more information.

Totes w Recipe

Warm Weather Reminder

As the weather warms, note that for safety, Food Bank of the Rockies requires anyone entering the warehouse to wear closed-toed shoes. This rule applies to all employees, visitors, and volunteers.

Cultural Resources

Food Suggestions for Upcoming Holidays

The Month of Ramadan: (4/12/21 - 5/12/21) During the month of Ramadan, people who practice Islam will fast from sunrise to sunset. Food traditions vary around the world, but both the suhoor (pre-dawn) and iftar (evening) meals contain fresh fruit, vegetables, halal meats, breads, cheese, and sweets, including dates. Pork products are never consumed by followers of Islam.

Eid al-Fitr: (5/13/21) Eid al-Fitr, celebrated by Muslims worldwide, marks the end of the month of Ramadan and is particularly associated with the preparation of festive sweets. Ethiopian and Somali clients may celebrate Eid al-Fitr by preparing recipes using teff flour, sugar, dates, beef, butter, and coffee.

Language Resources for Overcoming Communication Barriers

While members of our community will always be the most meaningful and effective choice for overcoming language barriers, there are several free or low-cost alternatives for organizations that do not have local multilingual volunteers or staff.

If your organization is utilizing other translating alternatives, please let us know. We will include this information for our partners in upcoming newsletters.

Translator Apps for Smartphones

Translator App Image

For Apple users, the Translate feature is now a built-in service that can translate words and short phrases into 11 languages. This is a great option for clients who have difficulty using technology or have limited ability to read in any language, as you can simply use the microphone on your phone to record and play the translations.

Android users can download apps such as SayHi Translate, which is free through the Google Play Store and offers many of the same features as Apple’s Translate app.

Live Interpretation & Translation

The Community Language Co-Op is a local Colorado option that offers written translation, interpreters, and inclusivity and diversity training for all types of organizations and projects. CLC provides interpretation for any language; 48-hour notice is preferred.

Voiance offers live interpretation via phone or video with staff who speak more than 240 languages and dialects. They charge 99 cents per minute with a minimum of 25 minutes a month. The Voiance app can be employed on mobile platform devices such as iPads for interfacing with clients on site.

Contact Da Shanna Morgan at 520-573-2370 or dmorgan@voiance.com to learn more.

Link2Feed

Upgrade to Link2Feed

If you are still conducting client intakes on paper or in Excel spreadsheets, consider upgrading to Link2Feed.

Link2Feed is a free online Service Insights tool that was specifically designed to meet the needs of food pantries. Food Bank of the Rockies chose Link2Feed as its preferred Service Insight platform due to its extensive data security measures, commitment to client dignity and confidentiality, and its licensing agreement that prevents client information from being shared or sold to third parties.

For more information on Link2Feed, please visit the Link2Feed YouTube page or email l2f@foodbankrockies.org.

RSVP to a training date that works best for your organization here: http://bit.ly/L2FRSVP

Upcoming Training Dates:

Wednesday, May 12: 9:00—10:30 a.m.

Thursday, May 27: 12:00—1:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 9: 9:00—10:30 a.m.

Client Resources

Explaining Public Charge Changes

On March 9, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it would stop defending lawsuits related to the 2019 public charge rule, and the U.S. Supreme Court dropped the case.

This news could impact members of our community who have immigrated from other countries and are applying for legal permanent residence or a temporary visa.

Since 1999, immigration officers have categorized people immigrating to the U.S. who are applying for permanent residency or temporary visas as “public charges,” defined as “primarily dependent on the government for subsistence.” Under this 1999 policy, few immigrants have been denied green cards or visas on public-charge grounds.

In August of 2019, DHS published a final regulation expanding the definition of public charge so that green card and other visa applicants would be denied for being “more likely than not” to use certain public benefits at any point in the future. This change prompted many people to dis-enroll from public benefits, even benefits allowed under the existing law.

The recent March announcement ultimately means that the 2019 public charge rule is no longer in effect. The application of the public charge determination reverts back to the 1999 guidance which is narrower in scope in terms of programs considered under the public charge rule.

Please find more information on these Community Fact Sheets developed by the state of Colorado in a variety of languages, including Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Dari, English, Karen, Nepali, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, and Vietnamese. 

Free Energy and Water Services

Mile High Youth Corps offers free energy and water services to nonprofits and income-qualifying homes in metro Denver and surrounding communities. Although not an exhaustive list in terms of eligibility, these services are free for households that qualify for SNAP, TANF, or LEAP. The average savings per household is $250 annually on utility bills.

Learn more by visiting https://www.milehighyouthcorps.org/free-install-services/.

Download their flier here.

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10‌700 E. 45‌th A‌ve., Den‌ver, C‌O 802‌39
Tel: 303-371-9250
© 2024 Food Bank of the Rockies.
All rights reserved.
Food Bank of the Rockies is a
U.S. registered charity EIN #8‌4-077‌2672

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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