Care and Share

Food Bank for Southern Colorado

By Katrina McDowell on Nov 12, 2023 in Giving

Yardi is committed to supporting the community in every city where our offices are housed. Each year, the company distributes philanthropic aid to organizations selected by its employees.

In 2022, Yardi offices supported more than 350 nonprofits worldwide. We hope you enjoy the stories of those organizations and insight into how they aid their communities.

Food banks differ from food pantries, soup kitchens or emergency shelters because they supply the food to these organizations and then distribute it directly to those in need.

Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado was founded in 1978 in Colorado Springs. Care and Share provides food to 291 partner pantries, shelters and schools throughout Southern Colorado, allowing these partners to stretch their dollars for their best work, such as job training, housing assistance, medical care and other critical services.

Over 23 million pounds of food was provided to the community seeking support in the past year. Care and Share is an affiliate of Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger relief organization. Despite five other Feeding America food banks in Colorado, Care and Share is the only food bank dedicated to serving the state’s southern half.

During the height of the pandemic, the generosity of the southern Colorado community bolstered Care and Share to serve those needing food assistance for the first time.

“Care and Share is now dealing with the after-effects of the pandemic and is seeing even more need than we saw during the pandemic,” said Joan Selman, director of major gifts at Care and Share.

The following areas are the most significant causes of increased need:

Economic Conditions: Though inflation numbers have decreased, food prices are still at an all-time high. This affects low-income households whose food costs typically compromise a third of their income. Government aid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) decreased and has returned to pre-pandemic levels. Due to these economic conditions, the number of neighbors seeking Care and Shares services has significantly increased.

Mission Essentials: Cost-of-living increases have affected Care and Share’s ability to carry out its mission. The cost of running coolers and freezers in its three distribution centers continues to climb. As does the cost of diesel fuel its fleet requires to serve its 47,000 square-mile service area. Following rapid expansions, Care and Share is renewing its focus on operating programs and facilities with excellence.

Reaching Underserved Populations: In 2020, Care and Share launched two Mobile Markets—converted beverage trucks that operate like grocery stores on wheels, driving food into concentrated pockets of need. These trucks are uniquely equipped to take food to rural areas that face multiple barriers to food access.

“Because of our belief that no one should go hungry, investing more to fulfill that promise to every neighbor in need is an extension of Care and Share’s commitment to our community,” Selman said.

Every dollar Yardi donates equals five meals or six pounds of food. The recent contribution provides 172,500 meals or 207,000 pounds of food.

“You are silent heroes for our neighbors. Since 2017, Yardi has donated close to $294,000, and you simply cannot imagine the impact that has on the kids, families and seniors facing food insecurity. You help Care and Share Food Bank extend its reach throughout our entire service region, and we simply could not do this without your generous support and kind hearts,” Selman told us.

Volunteer Opportunities

Care and Share relies on volunteers to do its work. Learn all the ways to volunteer here.

“Last year, we had 5,500 unduplicated individuals volunteer—that’s a huge cost-savings to our organization and our volunteers simply ROCK,” said Selman.

Corporate partners are vital to the work Care and Shares performs.

“We would love to host your Colorado Springs office with a tour of the Distribution Center and invite you to an educational session with our President and CEO at your office. And simply—thank you for adding to the strength of Care and Share Food Bank,” Selman said.

Find future non-profit profiles at https://www.yardi.com/blog/category/giving.