Just launched two months ago, Mancos Re-6 Food Services food pantry has served 122 adults, 151 children and 16 seniors – unexpected demand that has almost wiped out the pantry’s supplies.
The food services district receives about 1,000 pounds of food a month from nonprofit food bank Care and Share Colorado.
“We’re now finding that here we are in November, a few weeks before Thanksgiving, and we’re pretty bare-bones,” said Re-6 Food Services director Janet Fogel.
The next shipment from Care and Share isn’t scheduled until after Thanksgiving, so Fogel and some local partners are organizing a “fast and furious” food drive to ensure that the pantry has enough to help families get through the holidays.
There are no income requirements or qualifications to be able to shop the food pantry, which Fogel says might be behind some of the appeal.
Fogel says she transitioned from a “food packpack” program into food pantry in September to ensure that more people in need could take advantage of the services, and has been surprised with how fast the program has taken off.
The pantry is really in need of nonperishables, but Fogel says there is adequate storage for frozen products as well as root and winter vegetables, which tend to have a longer shelf life.
Mancos Food Services was also recently approved for $70,000 in grant funds to go toward equipment and technology upgrades in the cafeteria’s kitchen that should enhance the department’s ability to do more from-scratch cooking.
Fogel says that like many school cafeterias, the food services department has made serious strides over the past few years to ensure students are getting balanced, healthy meals.
“I think it all goes back to the food insecurity issues. One of my goals is to give these kids the most balanced meals they can possibly eat because it might be a full 24 hours until their next meal,” she said. “This grant will allow us to ensure high food safety standards are being met, and do more scratch-cooking, which will allow us to serve those kids better.”
Also as part of the grant, the food services district is getting new point-of-sale software that will allow parents to pay for their child’s cafeteria lunches online.
“We’re hoping to have that up and ready to go by Christmas break,” said Fogel.
To donate to the Mancos School Food Pantry, look for food drive boxes around town and contact Fogel at 970-759-1813.