Grant Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese

Grant Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese

Covenant Cupboard Food Pantry (CCFP) is pleased to report on the
impact of generous grants from High Plains Episcopal Diocese enabling
CCFP to maintain the compassionate and valuable hunger relief services
which our Denver area neighbors rely on in challenging times and to
provide valued holiday distributions of food and gifts.

Key Accomplishments
 ❖ Reliably serving those facing food insecurity every Friday for 26 years, despite a pandemic
 ❖ Provided nutritious, quality food items to 13,335 individuals in 2020 and 12,235 to date in 2021
 ❖ Continued tradition of providing Thanksgiving turkey and dinner fixings
 ❖ Orchestrated largest children’s Christmas gift distribution in pantry history
 ❖ Managed increased inventory, food drives, donations, and grants to support operations
 ❖ Transitioned to outdoor, drive-through distribution without missing a week of distribution
 ❖ Conducted high-volume, drive-through operations March 2020 through July 2021
 ❖ Reimagined operational policies to maintain social distancing protocols and safety of clients and
     volunteers
 ❖ Distributed 476,000+ pounds of food
 ❖ Accomplished all of this with 100% volunteer organization and very dedicated team

Holiday Generosity
The organization’s commitment to providing special distributions during holidays remains a point of
pride and is made possible through the generous contributions of High Plains Episcopal Diocese and
other community partners. On our busiest day of 2020, CCFP provided turkeys and all the ingredients
for a Thanksgiving meal for 170 families. We provided hams at Christmas, and purchased 2 whole
cows to supplement our protein inventory, and several large distributions of butter and eggs.

The substantial community support of our Toy Distribution delighted 152 client families with 391
children. Most of our adopt-a-child sponsors paid higher than the $15 to $25 gift price range we
recommended. We also received an unprecedented donation of 1,258 pieces of handmade wood and
fabric gifts from the Community Services division of Arapahoe County. The estimate of the value of
these combined gifts was $26,000. A truly remarkable accomplishment especially given the
circumstances of COVID-19 restrictions which it was conducted under.

Sample of the comments the volunteers heard during the distributions.
 ❖ Prayers come true. My husband and I are both out of work because of COVID. We thought we
   would need to wrap up old gifts for the kids to have something to open this year. I trusted God
   would come through. God bless all of you.
 ❖ My kids see nothing under the Christmas tree and keep asking when are presents coming? Thank
   you so much.
 ❖ My whole family is sick with COVID. My mom is in the hospital with it. These gifts will be
   something good for us.
 ❖ I do not need the gifts anymore. I got some money that came in. My son says that it is fine for you
   to regift his toys to another boy who needs them.
 ❖ God bless what the food pantry does for me and my son. I did not know what I was going to do as
   a single mom when I could not work during COVID. The food pantry is amazing in the way you
   support us. What a god send!

                                           CCFP Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese | August 2021   page 1

Pandemic Response
In 2020 CCFP served 3,549 households which constitutes 13,335 individuals, with approximately 40%
of those households new to the pantry since the start of the pandemic. Approximately 33% of the total
served are children and 10% are over 65 years. To date in 2021 the pantry has served 12,235
individuals. In the months before the pandemic Covenant Cupboard Food Pantry (CCFP) served
approximately 98 households a week. In mid-May we averaged 150 households per week receiving a
nutritious selection of perishable and nonperishable food, by fall volume was typically 125 households
every Friday. At this point volume has slowly declined with approximately 80-90 households a week
utilizing the pantry during June and July 2021. We plan to return to indoor distribution in early August
and expect volume to increase.

As we have for the past 26 years, the all volunteer organization has reliably served the community
throughout the pandemic, adjusting to drive-through distribution operations, increasing the volume of
food and supplies purchased, coordinating food drives, pursuing available grants, and recruiting
volunteers to staff the expanded and more labor-intensive operation, including the use of two crews to
reduce potential for shutdown should someone get sick and the remaining volunteers needing to
quarantine. These efforts required purchasing a new truck to pick up food from Food Bank of the
Rockies, local restaurants, and grocery stores. New freezer, refrigerator, shelving, carts were
purchased to move and store the over 476,000 pounds of food distributed during 2020. The pantry
participates in government food programs, collects donated items at local stores, and purchases food
from Food Bank of the Rockies, East Denver Food Hub, plus directly from Colorado producers and
local retailers. We made investments in repairing high use portions of the church where the pantry is
located and equipment for outdoor operations. It was necessary to maintain supplies for hygiene and
safely packaging food. We boosted our purchasing of fresh produce and protein to ensure families
received quality, nutritious items every week. The team developed new safety and operating
procedures, implemented a new volunteer logistics system, designed traffic flow methods, and
effectively staffed 2.5 days per week activity for the past 17 months. Expenditures for the year 2020:
$96,420 (includes new truck purchase); for first six months of 2021: $29,905. Overwhelming at times,
this remains an enormous endeavor beyond ‘normal’ operations; the pantry leadership and volunteers
should be heartily commended for their commitment to serving the community.

CCFP believes that this work remains well-aligned with Diocese focus areas, particularly Engaging
Substantively with the Suffering of the World and Establishing Radical Generosity as a Core Pattern of
Life. CCFP enables diverse members of the community the opportunity to serve our neighbors through
volunteering their time and talents, donating food or funds, and connecting one-to-one with those facing
hunger. Continuing these efforts during a pandemic has amplified the need for this work and CCFP did
not hesitate to meet the challenges of operating during COVID-19 restrictions. Both the volunteers and
clients of the pantry acknowledge the many blessings shared through this work. CCFP is deeply
grateful for the generous support of the Diocese and many member church volunteers.

Respectfully submitted August 2021. Please contact Nichole if additional information is helpful.
Nichole Robillard
CCFP Grants Volunteer

                                             CCFP Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese | August 2021   page 2

CCFP collected and distributed over 476,000 pounds of food in 2020

                         CCFP Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese | August 2021   page 3

New delivery truck provides additional capacity

Unloading the Christmas ingathering collected at Good Shepherd Episcopal

                                            CCFP Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese | August 2021   page 4

Volunteers unload community food drive donations

Sorting enormous volume of donations from food drives

                                          CCFP Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese | August 2021   page 5

Donations fill all storage areas plus the hallway

Preparations for distribution

                                CCFP Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese | August 2021   page 6

CCFP encourages corporate and individual donations in support of local community

                                          CCFP Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese | August 2021   page 7

Perishable and non-perishable food is portioned before distribution

                                            CCFP Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese | August 2021   page 8

Volunteers use ice fishing tent to endure cold days of outdoor distribution

Vehicles line up in parking lot waiting for check in

                                              CCFP Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese | August 2021   page 9

Families’ vehicles are loaded with pre-boxed food

                                          CCFP Report to High Plains Episcopal Diocese | August 2021   page 10