Food Bank of the Rockies feels increase in demand: "We are trying to be culturally responsive"
The Food Bank of the Rockies spent the afternoon making boxes and putting pinto beans into bags for families to take home.
It's nonstop work as chief marketing officer for the organization, Aditi Desai, believes the demand for help continues to grow.
"Year over year, we are actually seeing a 60% increase at programs, like our mobile food pantry," Desai said.
And they are not alone. It's a similar scene at "We Don't Waste," a nonprofit that works to reduce hunger and food waste in Denver.
Arlan Preblud, executive director for We Don't Waste, says the organization is seeing the impact at its mobile food drives also.
"We certainly realized with inflation and as well as the problems Denver is experiencing with the migrant influx the increase in need, but we have maintained our deliveries to all of our partner agencies that we support and I know that they are being impacted with these various issues," Preblud said.
We Don't Waste receives food from 165 active donors, then gives that food to nonprofits like Servicios de la Raza and Food Bank of the Rockies. The organization says it's meeting its partners' needs, but also has about 45 nonprofits on the current waitlist.
"We don't bring on additional agencies unless we have the ability to service them," Preblud said.
Cutbacks on snap benefits, inflation and the migrant influx are mostly driving the demand.
Food Bank of the Rockies is distributing emergency relief bags to nonprofits for arriving migrants in Denver, on top of the people it serves.
In the bags, the organization adds snacks including water, milk, plantain chips, and other shelf table foods.
"We are trying to be culturally responsive," Desai said.
The nonprofit started responding to this emergency about a week ago and distributed 4,000 pounds of food in just one day.
"These emergency relief bags are really meant to be snacks, just to have food assistance if they are on the go or don't have access to a kitchen," Desai said
When asked about the decrease of food it gives to certain food pantries, the response was there is just not enough resources.
Food Bank of the Rockies says it's difficult to keep up because there's a 70% decrease in food that comes in from the government, leaving them to fill in the gap.
"Hunger relief organizations are really having to fill that gap by purchasing food, so we are purchasing food that is costing us triple the amount pre-COVID," Desai said.
It's been a challenge but the mission remains.
"We rely on the community to be able to meet increased need and to help us keep up with demand, which has been very challenging," Desai said.
Food Bank of the Rockies told CBS News Colorado on a monthly basis it is spending $1.3 million on purchasing food.
The organization doesn't see the need for food assistance decreasing anytime soon, especially with summer around the corner.
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