The Colorado Food Bank Association’s five member food banks distribute food to more than 1,500 nonprofit agencies that provide meals and services to people in need. The diversity of agencies include food pantries, day-care centers, battered women’s shelters, soup kitchens, residential treatment centers, senior and youth programs; serving all ages and segments of our community. The food provided to those living in poverty often means the difference between feeding their families or going hungry, having hope or living in despair.

 To serve those in need, the CFBA focuses on increasing resources for its member food banks. Combined efforts result in efficiencies and opportunities otherwise unavailable to the individual food banks. Donated as well as purchased food will be secured through the association and shared among the member food banks, to supplement their food collection efforts.

The CFBA also conducts educational activities for the general public regarding hunger and related issues, as public awareness is key to the solution.

 The food banks are 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. They receive broad community support from individuals, corporations, local governments, faith communities and corporations. Individual volunteerism is key to their success.

 Each Colorado food bank collects surplus food from food processors, farms, distributors, restaurants and supermarkets. Many also conduct community food drives or glean from local gardens.

 Our members are affiliates of America’s Second Harvest, the USA’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, which has a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks and food rescue programs. As such, they are monitored and operate in compliance with food industry standards for safe food handling, inventory control, record keeping, sanitation and pest control.

“Gap” Analysis” - Map of Hunger in Colorado

In order to understand how much food is needed to create a food secure state, the CFBA is partnering with Colorado State University in conducting an assessment of the need for food assistance. Five counties are being studied in the first phase of this analysis. Researchers are using Census data to establish the number of people living in poverty, and therefore at risk for hunger and food insecurity. Sources of available food, such as food stamps, federal lunch programs, and CFBA food banks, are being calculated and assumptions made as to how many meals a day a person needs for a healthy lifestyle.

The resulting “gap” between food available and food needed will give the CFBA a clearer understanding of the need for food assistance in those counties. Subsequent phases of the study will cover all other counties, and the end product will be a “map of hunger” of the state. CFBA Member food banks will then be able to design collection and distribution programs to address the “unmet need” in Colorado .

USDA Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program

The CFBA has finalized a contract with the US Department of Agriculture to handle distribution for the majority of USDA Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program commodities in Colorado . Under this new contract the CFBA would be responsible for the distribution of over 6.5 million pounds of nutritious food annually. The CFBA was approached by the USDA because of the efficient network of food distribution sites that already exists in all 64 counties.

Hunger Study

The food banks of the CFBA participated in the national Hunger In America 2006 study, the largest study about domestic hunger ever undertaken. The Colorado section of the study shows that children reside in 40 percent of the households seeking food assistance. The remaining majority of people seeking help from charitable organizations to put meals on the table are seniors, the working poor and those in poor health. Coloradoans in need of food assistance are often part of hard working families having to choose between food and other necessities.

The CFBA publishes a legislative digest. To see issues of this digest, follow the links below.

2008:

May 2, 2008

April 25, 2008

April 18, 2008

Issue 7 - March 14, 2008

Issue 6 - March 7, 2008

Issue 4 - Feb 22, 2008

Issue 3 - Jan 25, 2008

Issue 2 - Jan 25, 2008

Issue 1 - Jan 18, 2008

2007:

Issue 1 2007- April 20th, 2007

Issue 2 2007- April 27th, 2007

Issue 3 2007- May 4, 2007