Colorado Nonprofit Taking Care of Kids' Basic Needs

With the arrival of summer, many of us are thinking about places and opportunities to spend time with friends and family. However, many Coloradans still worry about the basics – jobs, housing and making sure their kids have enough to eat.

When people think about hunger, it’s not something they typically picture right in their own back yard. But it’s here: from the cities along Colorado’s Front Range to the towns of the Western Slope and even in the food-producing regions of our state.

One of SE2’s newest clients is working to change that.

Hunger Free Colorado (HFC) is working to feed an even greater number of Colorado kids this summer. An expanded number of Summer Food Service Program sites are open throughout Colorado this year, prompted by concerns about an increase in nutritional deficiencies and hunger among children during the summer months. The effort follows recent studies showing that only eight percent of Colorado children who qualify for food assistance at school participate in the Summer Food Service Program.

“Many Colorado children who receive free or reduced-price lunches at school are at risk of poor nutrition or missing meals when school lets out for summer,” says HFC Executive Director Kathy Underhill.

Thanks to efforts by Hunger Free Colorado and its community partners, children and teens can receive a free, nutritionally balanced lunch daily, often at sites near their homes. There are no registration or income requirements necessary to qualify, and many sites also offer day camps or activities for kids.

A complete listing of sites throughout Colorado can be found at http://www.summerfoodcolorado.org/ or by calling 877-93-HUNGER.

At SE2, we’re thankful that we continue to have opportunities to contribute to issues that really matter to our state.