Although inflation is easing, high food prices still weigh on many people in the Grand Valley.
According to Alisha Wenger, executive director of the Community Food Bank of Grand Junction, not only has the need for nutritious food from the Grand Valley increased, but so have the prices the food bank pays for it.
“Since June of last year, we have served approximately 12,500 individuals,” Wenger said. That’s nearly 8% of Mesa County’s population.
However, many people go to the food bank more than once a year.
“If we count every person in that household during each of their visits, that’s about 72,000 people,” Wenger said.
This represents a 180% increase over the amount of food distributed by the Food Bank between fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2024.
The Community Food Bank of GJ is not the only organization helping to combat food insecurity in the Grand Valley. Numerous other organizations also provide food to those in need.
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent years of inflation created a greater need for services like those provided by the Community Food Bank. They are rising to the challenge.
They now employ around 10 people and have expanded their program offerings and services. They have been able to support new staff and new programs with various grants, some of which were tied to the pandemic emergency funding.
With most of their emergency funding running out, the challenge now is to sustain their growth.
They hope to further expand their capacity and encourage sustainable growth by establishing an appointment system. Anyone who wants to use the Community Food Bank’s services can register for an appointment online. There are no income requirements to use the Community Food Bank’s services.
Before switching to the appointment model, “it became uncertain as to the number of people we could have on site… People were waiting two hours for groceries for five days and we just felt like we could do that… better,” Wenger said.
The Community Food Bank also began offering mobile markets to bring food to people who may not be able to drive to their location.
“Transportation is a really big problem when it comes to access to food,” Wenger said.
In addition to increased needs in the community, the Community Food Bank faced additional challenges. Between fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2024, food costs increased 120%.
Although there is a misconception that all food distributed by food banks such as Community Food Bank is donated, in reality the food bank purchases much of its food from distributors such as Food Bank of the Rockies.
The Food Bank of the Rockies acts as a wholesaler, distributing millions of pounds of food to organizations – like the Community Food Bank of GJ – throughout Colorado and parts of Wyoming. Because of its size, the Food Bank of the Rockies can secure favorable prices for these community organizations, but it cannot distribute everything for free.
For this reason, cash donations from the Community Food Bank can be better used than direct food donations.
“When people go to the store and buy a can of green beans from us, that can of green beans might cost $1.00 or $1.25,” Wenger said.
However, if you donate money, “every dollar can provide more than four nutritious meals,” Wenger said.
Wenger said food drives are still a great way to build community connections.
“We love the food drives… they are visible in the community. It’s good to make people aware,” she said.
In addition to purchasing food wholesale from the Food Bank of the Rockies and donations from the community, the Community Food Bank also picks up excess supplies from grocery stores in the Grand Valley. Many of its volunteers drive to grocery stores weekly to pick up food that the Community Food Bank then distributes.
Another misconception about food banks is that their clients are mostly homeless people.
“They’re preschool teachers, D51 teachers, restaurant managers, construction workers, mothers who work three jobs,” Wenger said. Less than 2% of her clients are homeless.
The Community Food Bank’s mission is not only to improve access to food for Mesa County residents, it is also committed to ensuring that the food it provides is nutritious.
“We’re trying to make nutritious food the most convenient, attractive and normal option,” Wenger said, “starting with fruits and vegetables and proteins and grains and dairy.”
The Community Food Bank strives to offer its customers a diverse selection when picking up food.
“It’s like a grocery store with a little guidance,” Wenger said. “We try to have an abundance mentality – that our community really cares about our neighbors in need and that our neighbors who use the food bank care, too. They’re also very considerate of other people and only take what they really need.”
Anyone interested in volunteering or donating to the Community Food Bank of Grand Junction can do so through their website at foodbankgj.org.
