Emergency food network delivers meals to people in need during COVID-19 pandemic
The impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic have made it difficult for many families to keep food on the table. But a community coalition has been able to help, saying they’ve given out more than 150,000 free meals in less than two months.
The Denver Metro Emergency Food Network is preparing thousands of meals per day to deliver to people in the Denver metro area who are stuck at home with reduced access to food during the pandemic.
“Our mission when the coronavirus first came out was, we knew we were closing the restaurants that we run, so we wanted to pivot to helping people,” said Josh Ford, the emergency food network’s executive chef. “It’s anybody that needs assistance right now, mostly low-income and senior folks ... But anybody that needs food during this time, we’ll feed you.”
Many of the volunteers from the project are restaurant workers who have been forced out of work by the state’s continuing restaurant shutdown. Organizers say they are making about 2,500 meals per day.
“That’s why we see the volunteers so energized, so enthusiastic about the work they’re doing, knowing that there are this many families out there being supported on a day by day basis,” said Ricardo Rocha, CEO of Bondadosa, one of the founding organizations.
“We go home every day very tired but feeling very good about ourselves, and the family that’s been built here among the crew that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with every day is just amazing,” Ford said.
The group launched on March 18 and partnered with satellite kitchens to prepare meals. The group says more than 75 restaurants and organizations have donated ingredients and other supplies to the effort.
The organization is looking for kitchen space, equipment, partners and donations to help keep the efforts going. Click here for more details on ways to help.