{"id":52779,"date":"2020-07-11T05:03:09","date_gmt":"2020-07-11T11:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/groups-launch-new-partnerships-to-tackle-food-insecurity\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T01:59:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T01:59:40","slug":"groups-launch-new-partnerships-to-tackle-food-insecurity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/groups-launch-new-partnerships-to-tackle-food-insecurity\/","title":{"rendered":"Groups launch new partnerships to tackle food insecurity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Sara
Sara Grover, food services coordinator with Pine River Shares, and her son, Logan Willie, 17, carry out 30 backpacks for kids to pick up from the lobby in Bayfield. Food insecurity could be affected when unemployment benefits return to normal levels beginning Aug. 1.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Early one morning at Pine River Shares in Bayfield, volunteers and staff filled backpacks with food and placed them in the nonprofit\u2019s lobby for kids and families to grab at will.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were hearing this was a need we needed to fill,\u201d said Sara Grover, an administrative assistant at Pine River Shares.<\/p>\n

That has been the norm for nonprofits since the coronavirus\u2019 arrival in Colorado: identifying growing needs and restructuring services to meet them. In the process, food access groups around Southwest Colorado have responded with new and improved partnerships. But even as some organizations face continued financial or logistical challenges, they are keeping a wary eye on the future, when even more people might need assistance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know what\u2019s going to happen yet. There could be another surge of increased need because of food insecurity,\u201d said Ann Morse, executive director of Manna, a soup kitchen in Durango.<\/p>\n

Food insecurity could be impacted when unemployment benefits are expected to return to normal levels beginning Aug. 1. A federal waiver that allows people to receive the maximum amount of food assistance is also expected to end July 31, organization representatives said.<\/p>\n

But the economy and workforce could rebound or the federal government could pass another stimulus package. Or the number of coronavirus cases could surge, which would increase need.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just impossible to predict,\u201d said Martha Johnson, director of the La Plata County Human Services Department, who expects some impacts from unemployment benefits decreasing.<\/p>\n

\"Jimi
Jimi Hendrick, a volunteer with Pine River Shares, works in the clothing room last week in Bayfield. After the coronavirus pandemic hit, many nonprofits had to recognize new needs being experienced by residents and restructure their services to meet those needs.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Food
Food items are loaded into backpacks and sent home for children and their families each week as part of the Pine River Shares program in Bayfield.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Durango Food Bank, Manna, Pine River Shares and Human Services have already seen the need for their services increase by 20% to 50% since Colorado\u2019s first COVID case in March.<\/p>\n

About 22% more households are applying for food stamp support compared with 2019, Johnson said. From April to June, Human Services received 2,352 household applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.<\/p>\n

In February, La Plata County residents faced long waits<\/a> to receive food stamps because \u201cerratic\u201d computer software and low staffing led to a backlog of applications. Johnson said the department worked through the backlog as of May.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a relief to know that our community members\u2019 needs are being met in a more timely way,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cAnd, especially at this time of high stress \u2026 that we\u2019re not contributing to the difficulties that they\u2019re experiencing.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the end of the year, the Durango Food Bank expects to double the number of clients it has served. So far, 20% of people coming in have never used food bank services.<\/p>\n

Pine River Shares doubled the number of food bags it was distributing. In May, Manna served 9,558 meals \u2013 double what it served on average each month before the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last week or so, people are having a hard time figuring out how to pay their bills and get food,\u201d Grover said. \u201cPeople didn\u2019t know what they were going to do and came to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

New partnerships<\/div>\n

Pine River Shares\u2019 pilot summer backpack program is just one way nonprofits are working to meet rising food access needs. One key to success: new partnerships.<\/p>\n

More than 20 organizations meet regularly in the Southwest Community Resource Group. By communicating consistently, the groups are better able to avoid duplicating services and can strengthen their grant proposals by involving multiple organizations, Johnson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe plan to keep it going after the pandemic because it\u2019s just been an invaluable resource for all of us to share information and ideas,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Sara
Sara Grover, food coordinator with Pine River Shares, stocks shelves at the food bank in Bayfield.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Pine
Pine River Shares in Bayfield.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Human Services partnered with other Colorado counties to process applications and resolve the backlog. Manna, the Durango Food Bank and Pine River Shares have shared food and commodity supplies to ensure everyone has enough.<\/p>\n

The partnerships are helping the organizations reach more people, sometimes new client groups, with more efficient services, Morse said. For example, Manna has new partnerships with other organizations like Compa\u00f1eros and La Plata Family Services Coalition.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re reaching more people, and we\u2019re doing it in a way that is so beneficial to each organization,\u201d Morse said.<\/p>\n

Help and hardship<\/div>\n

While responding to new needs, food access groups have faced myriad difficulties, from food shortages to keeping volunteers safe during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was definitely a shortage of food, and still is, of nonperishable food,\u201d Morse said. \u201cWe were finding ourselves paying whatever money it took to get those items in stock.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nonprofits, especially those that work with food insecurity issues, are seeing an increase in costs, Morse said. Southwest Colorado nonprofits expect to lose more than $8 million<\/a> in revenue because of the pandemic, according to a Community Emergency Relief Fund survey. In addition, many nonprofits cannot hold annual fundraisers because of coronavirus-related restrictions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a big challenge,\u201d Morse said.<\/p>\n

Pine River Shares staff and volunteers have increased their hours. Manna sought more volunteers from La Puente, an organization that supports rural nonprofits.<\/p>\n

The Durango Food Bank is struggling to find enough space to store food. The group is using its parking lot, but once the weather changes, it will not have a place to store bulk food orders and conduct food distribution with minimal contact.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are desperately looking for a warehouse-like facility that will allow us to continue to operate at our current capacity,\u201d said Sarah Smith, the food bank\u2019s executive director.<\/p>\n

Even with continuing challenges, the groups are focused on finding new and better ways to serve people in need.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want people to know that there\u2019s help available,\u201d Grover said. \u201cThey\u2019re not going to answer 10,000 questions or jump through all the hoops. We\u2019re just here to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

smullane@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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