UCHealth raising awareness to fight hunger in Colorado during MLB All-Star Week

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- UCHealth and Major League baseball are partnering to help raise money for Feeding Colorado. During the 2021 MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game on Sunday, UCHealth will donate $10,000 for every home run hit.

Care and Share in Colorado Springs is part of the Feeding Colorado Network. Lynn Telford the CEO says one in eight people in Southern Colorado are food insecure, and since the pandemic doesn't see those numbers going down.

"Care and Share really scaled up during the pandemic and we expect to stay scaled up. Beyond the sheer volume we’ve actually had to purchase more food than ever because some of our donation lines have been disrupted or are not as stable," said Telford.

That need will now be seen on a national scale.

"I think this is a great platform to learn about healthy eating, healthy living, because what we’re going to be looking at is people playing a sport. Thinking about professional athletes and what you put in your body has a lot to do with how you move, how you think, how you feel, and people will be paying attention," said Dr. John Prucha a UCHealth Family Medicine Physician.

Telford says it's a huge opportunity they're excited to be a part of.

"Every dollar counts at Care and Share. A dollar can be turned into 6 meals at Care and Share covering southern Colorado, so that means a lot. Ten-thousand dollars is an awesome amount of money that really makes a difference to people that would be hungry," said Telford.

If you would like to make a donation you can visit this UCHealth page.