I don’t know about you, but I’m already exhausted. I’m probably not supposed to say that just one month into the school year, but it’s the truth–and I know I can’t be the only one. The good news is that I’m also encouraged and motivated, and those feelings are strengthened by the people surrounding us at Food for Hope.
Yesterday, I posted on LinkedIn about our long-time volunteer, Gary Haag. Gary has been volunteering with Food for Hope for over 10 years! After taking the past three months off from bag packing, Food for Hope was back in action yesterday. At 2:30 p.m., Gary walked past my office on his way to the warehouse to begin setting up tables. Within a couple hours, more than 20 volunteers were in our building counting, preparing, and packing food to distribute throughout the community this week.
Other volunteers will greet families and help them shop at our pantries, while still others help deliver food and stock shelves. Gary’s dedication–and the dedication of all our volunteers, is truly inspiring.
I’m also encouraged by other organizations in the community. Last week, I had the opportunity to attend a convention hosted by Colorado Access. We discussed the upcoming Medicaid changes. As a group, we reflected on the fact that many community members losing medical care coverage are those who are already struggling, and have children relying on them each day. It’s a big topic to discuss, and at times, it felt overwhelming. But my biggest takeaway was simple: we all showed up. Around the table were people who could likely be more financially successful working in the for-profit sector, but instead, they choose to show up at their respective organizations and work hard, often under challenging circumstances, to help our neighbors in need. We shared the struggle of trying to meet growing needs with limited resources and how difficult it is to look someone in the eyes and know that, despite our best efforts, we can’t always give them the help they need. We also talked about the small victories and the importance of persevering. Even when the challenges feel overwhelming, people continue to show up, do the work, celebrate the small victories, and keep going. That dedication is what makes our nonprofit community so inspiring.
And finally, I’m motivated by the support we receive from our surrounding community–when companies want to use their resources to fund new initiatives; when individuals send checks or sign-up to become monthly donors; and when people come to us eager to learn how they can help advance our mission.
Recently, we received unexpected support from the employees of Adolfson-Peterson Construction, the Adams Centennial Lions Club, and Crossroad Construction along with many individual donors to help fund a liftgate for our new truck. This support is especially meaningful because the refrigerated truck will allow us to distribute more fresh food to our school pantries.
We've also had many encouraging conversations with local companies and individuals who want to learn how they can help us move our mission forward. And the truth is, we need you. Children experiencing food insecurity are affected in profound and far-reaching ways.. If what we have seen so far this year is any indicator, the number of our neighbors who need help feeding their children far exceeds what Food for Hope can do alone.
But with people like you who are willing to invest in our work, we can build the infrastructure and make the plans needed to create an even greater positive impact in the lives of students across Adams County. Your action is inspiring.
Here are some ways you can help:
Help Fund Clem’s Lift Gate - for more fresh food distribution!
Follow us on social media and engage with our posts.
Instagram / Facebook / Linked-In / TikTok
Your willingness to take action will help us make sure no child goes to bed hungry in our community. Thanks for helping us keep our heads up as we move forward.
