In this issue of Family Matters, we’re highlighting the Weinberg Food Pantry and the incredible work it is doing to fight hunger and food insecurity in our community. Many of the more than 3,200 people we serve each year count on this food to survive. It means that children won’t go to bed hungry. It means that a senior on a fixed income won’t have to choose between medicine and food. And it means that an unemployed parent can focus on finding a job rather than worrying about where their next meal will come from.

Hunger in Colorado is real and its impact on people’s lives is devastating. More than 10% of Coloradans struggle with hunger. Nearly one in seven children may not know when they will get their next meal. More than one in 12 Coloradans use food stamps, including hardworking families.

The people impacted by food insecurity are all around us. They are the kid we see walking to school. They are the frail senior living down the block and the single mom with two kids and two jobs. They are the proud father with cancer who can no longer work. They are us and we need to make sure they don’t go hungry.

Did you know that the Weinberg Food Pantry ranks among the top five pantries operating in the Denver metro area? More than 662,000 pounds of food is distributed from the pantry every year. It’s a lot of food, but what’s most impressive to me is the quality of food and the dignity with which it is distributed.

Even more impressive are the long-term outcomes we are having on people’s lives. JFS doesn’t simply hand out food. If an individual needs services beyond food, our case managers can work with them to overcome life challenges and get back on the path to self-sufficiency. It might be helping them get a job or find affordable housing. They might help with rent or connect them to other resources like food stamps and Medicaid—anything to help them get back on their feet.

People might come to JFS in need of food, but they often leave with a new lease on life.

The pantry wouldn’t be possible without our amazing staff and the more than 400 dedicated volunteers who contribute their time and energy to help those in need. They make it happen and they do it well. We are grateful for their service.

I invite you to visit us and see the Weinberg Food Pantry firsthand. You’ll see many shopping carts full of food, but more than that, you’ll see the transformative difference we are making in people’s lives. Please contact us to arrange a personal tour.

With warm regards,

Debra J. Zimmerman
Interim president and CEO