Southern Colorado food bank needs younger volunteers

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Southern Colorado food bank, also known as Care and Share, is still operating while abiding by Gov. Jared Polis' order, according to supervisors.

Care and Share is the biggest resource for families in need of food in Southern Colorado, serving nearly 20 million meals a year to people in 31 different counties.

"The food bank is still accepting new volunteers, but they need to apply online," Becca Sickbert, Care and Share Communications and Marketing Director, said in a phone call with KRDO.

Sickbert said they've created an online orientation for volunteers, to make sure they don't have more people than necessary inside the building.

But an issue popped up on KRDO's radar after a concerned citizen reached out, saying more youthful people should volunteer to help food pantries so that older, at-risk people can stay home.

We talked with Care and Share's Chief Operations Officer, Shannon Brice, about the food bank's need for younger volunteers.

"We certainly have what we call our lead volunteers, who are here pretty regularly, and they are of an older population," Shannon explained.

She said many of the older volunteers have opted to stay home, since they're considered at-risk for severe symptoms if they get COVID-19. So, she says they're looking for more youthful volunteers.

"If someone wants to feel like they can be a part of a solution, and do more when they probably feel like they’re confined in their home, we would love to put you to work, and we WILL put you to work," Shannon told KRDO.