An immigrant mom whose limited English makes it hard to get the community resources she and her two sons need. A school counselor who is overwhelmed by the uptick in requests for help from families. A cash-strapped teacher who adds extra items to her grocery list so that hunger is less of a barrier for the students in her classroom. These are all individuals who benefit from Food for Hopeâs programs, which aim to provide every child in Adams County with the nutrition they need, regardless of the circumstances at home.
Food for Hope (FFH) programs exclusively serve the Adams County children behind those staggering statistics. FFH works with school districts to get healthy food to kids where they already go every day, as opposed to a traditional food bank that requires a special trip and extensive personal information in order to be served. FFH leverages school infrastructure and mobilizes dedicated volunteers at 30 school and district sites to provide weekend food bags, high-protein school snacks, and an in-school food bank program in Brighton, Commerce City, Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster. In the 2022-23 school year, Food for Hope fed an average of 1,500 individuals per month, a 51% increase from the 2021-22 year. Food for Hope saw a 106% increase in the amount of food it distributed, providing over 74,000 pounds over the 2022-23 school year. Unfortunately, this increase in demand is happening during an equally dramatic rise in food costs, which increased 11% nationwide in 2022[2], putting a strain on FFHâs budget.
Testimonials
"Food for Hope has been a valued partner to Adams 12 Five Star Schools for many years, but as needs continue to rise sharply during the pandemic they have become even more of a saving grace for thousands of our families who are struggling to make ends meet, and whose children have been without twice a day access to school meals. The access to healthy and nourishing food provided by Food For Hope allows families to put more of their limited financial resources towards maintaining housing and keeping the lights and water on, and reduces some of the stress that parents have when wondering how they will put food on the table. In addition, the food assistance is of immeasurable benefit to our Adams 12 families who are not eligible for public benefits like SNAP. Over the past few very difficult months, we have seen more tears of joy and appreciation that we can count, as families realize not only that they have access to food but that there are organizations like Food For Hope who are dedicated to bettering the lives of our students and families." - Lisle Reed, Whole Child Initiatives, Adams 12 Five Star Schools
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One of the amazing things about the resource closet and food bank at Pinnacle Charter School is it is on-site for our students and families. Â We know many families in our community experience challenges with transportation, and providing resources for them at the school helps cut down on the number of trips they need to make to obtain food & clothing for their families. Â We greatly appreciate the opportunity Food for Hope and A Precious Child has given the Pinnacle community, and we thank them for their role in helping our students and families. Â -Chad Miller, Chief Financial Officer - Pinnacle Charter SchoolÂ
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Food for Hope gives families peace of mind knowing they have access to nutritious foods at a time when theyâre facing food insecurities. Â As part of the team at 27Jâs Bob Sakata Education Campus, Food for Hope has been a safety net for families needing meals to keep kids well-fed at home. Â - Chris Fiedler, 27J School Superintendent
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"This food is important because we didn't have enough food in our house." - Student at North Mor Elementary
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Weâve supported a single mom fighting stage 3 cancer, a parent leaving her home due to domestic violence and a number of families facing joblessness and homelessness [...] The pandemic has only exacerbated many challenges that already existed for families and we are so thankful to be able to provide this support for our community, thanks to our partnership with Food for Hope. - Lori Swanson, Northglenn High School Faculty