Care and Share food bank continues to help those in need

During these tough times food banks across the nation have seen a huge increase in the amount of people needing food. Care and Share food bank right here in Colorado Springs is no different as they can use all the help they can get.

In fact, in the last few weeks Care and Share has had to, in their terms, “turn on a dime” to help the increase in people needing food

Lynne Telford, CEO of Care and Share Food Bank said, “We are out on the open market buying food as fast as we can as fast as the donations come in to get food to people who need it. People who have never thought they would have to ask for help.”

As for how long this increase in food will last? Telford isn’t sure. But, she says they will continue to serve for as long as they need too.

“It’s so hard to tell what our long term needs are going to be. Even when this pandemic is over people who missed paychecks are still going to be catching up. So we expect for a long time we are going to be working at this accelerated pace."

On average, Care and Share will spend about 300,000 dollars on food. This year they’ve had to purchase much more than that. Telford says she’s already approved a million dollars in spending for purchasing food. As for donations, Care and Share says they are always looking for financial donations and volunteers but not so much food.

“We can’t process them quickly enough to get them out. Right now that’s not the most efficient way for us to get food and get food out. When this is over we will certainly go out to the community and ask them to bring us food donations. But right now at the pace we are working we need to purchase food that is already palletized," said Telford.

In April alone, Care and Share donated 2.3 million pounds of food to their partner agencies. Renee Beebe Executive Director at Crossfire Ministries says that the donation will be able to go a long ways for them.

“Without care and share we would not be able to do what we are doing. We would not be able to serve the thousands of new families we would not be able to serve our regular families that come in,” said Beebe.

Ultimately, Care and Share says they are grateful for the help of the community during these tough times.