Community Food Share has record year

BOULDER – Community Food Share, a Longmont-based nonprofit that provides food to low-income families in Boulder and Broomfield counties, distributed 7.5 million meals in 2011, exceeding its record distribution amount.

Approximately 70 percent of distribution was through a network of more than 50 member agencies, such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, residential treatment homes and emergency food-box programs. Five hundred thousand more meals were distributed in 2011 than in 2010, valued at $12.4 million.

Community Food Shares serves approximately 35,000 people a year. These programs target at-risk populations such as families with children on the School Free Lunch program in the Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley school districts, as well as low-income seniors.

Fifty-three percent of total distribution went to the Longmont area, 22 percent to Boulder, 13 percent to Broomfield, 9 percent to Lafayette, 1 percent to Louisville and 1 percent to people in the mountains and surrounding areas.

“While the recession is technically over,´ said Jim Baldwin, chief executive of Community Food Share, “the slow and erratic recovery is still impacting people living in poverty in our community. Community Food Share aggressively pursues all sources of donated food, locally, regionally and nationally, in order to keep up with the demand. We also pursue staple items wholesale to supplement our inventory and to meet nutritional targets.”

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