DENVER — Denver Public Faculties (DPS) and an area nonprofit wish to drive out starvation this college 12 months by means of a cell meals pantry.
In accordance with Hunger Free Colorado, 11% of Coloradans lack dependable entry to nutritious meals, and in 17% of Colorado households with kids, the kids usually are not consuming sufficient as a result of meals is unaffordable.
The Lion Project has partnered with DPS’s Household and Neighborhood Engagement (FACE) Division to create a cell meals pantry that may journey to Title I colleges inside the district and supply entry to wholesome meals.

Maggy Wolanske
“Nicely, I really like this collaboration,” mentioned Aubrey Fowler, director of operations at The Lion Mission. “It is actually thrilling as a result of you could have a variety of creatives. So, on the FACE Division, you could have a variety of ladies who’re tremendous concerned in the neighborhood and actually wish to give again, and so it is actually enjoyable to see our concepts come collectively by means of this relationship with FACE.”
Carla Duarte, a supervisor with DPS’s Far Northeast Community Hub, helps serve households in Denver’s Montbello and Inexperienced Valley Ranch neighborhoods. The group hub gives academic packages together with assist companies, together with a mini market the place households can get groceries at zero price.

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“The group hub is right here in Montbello, and we’ve got a hub mini market contained in the group hub, like each different group hub. However we noticed that a variety of households haven’t got transportation, and it is exhausting for them coming all the best way from Inexperienced Valley to get some groceries right here on the hub,” Duarte mentioned.
To satisfy group members the place they’re, a 14-passenger bus was transformed right into a market on wheels. It options recent produce, snacks, spices, and extra.
- Within the video under, Carla Duarte explains what sort of meals is carried within the cell market.
DPS’s Carla Duarte shares what sort of meals is carried within the cell pantry
With the college 12 months quickly beginning, Duarte mentioned the district remains to be engaged on logistics, however the cell pantry will more than likely cease within the Inexperienced Valley Ranch neighborhood first.

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Seeking to the long run, Fowler mentioned The Lion Mission will convert donated trailers from Mile Hi Companies into cell markets to carry nutritious meals and produce to areas in want.
“Our largest objective is to have 50 of those as a result of, basically, if we will get 50 of those trailers, we might eradicate meals insecurity within the Denver metro space,” Fowler mentioned. “In order that’s our huge idea and our huge objective.”

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