Local food pantry struggles to keep food on shelves amid COVID-19 outbreak

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- A food pantry that serves a large region, including Elbert, Lincoln and El Paso counties, seriously needs your help as it’s running dangerously low on supplies.

Shelves that are normally fully stocked at the Fresh Start Center are starting to look completely bare.

Grant Winger, Executive Director at Fresh Start Center, said, “We can go about two weeks, maybe three weeks if we are able to stretch it thin with what we have right now on the shelves.”

Winger says any donation of any kind would be greatly appreciated. Since the outbreak of Covid-19. Winger says they’ve seen an increase of 60-plus families, which means they need all the help they can get.

“Food donations, monetary donations. We are looking to see if we can ramp up and do a monthly contribution that might help us out too because we have the ability to work with grocery store partners.”

As for some of the items they are looking for?

“Canned items: whether it be canned meats, vegetables, fruits, pastas, pasta sauces, just whatever you think a family could use to make full meal,” said Winger.

The Fresh Start Center serves close to a thousand people each month and thankfully they haven’t had to turn anyone away yet.

“People still have to eat too," said Winger. "So that’s what it all starts with that meal becoming productive in society these days still starts with a meal, but if you can’t get it I think it’s very hard to keep going through your day.”

If you would like to donate, you can bring donations to the Fresh Start Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday's from 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. And to make sure the donations aren’t infected they are quarantined for 96 hours.

If you need help and would like to contact the Fresh Start Center you can do so by calling 719-495-3123, email at admin@freshstartcenter.com or by visiting the website at www.freshstartcenter.com.