The past year has presented different challenges for communities everywhere. The needs of families and individuals across the country have only grown over the last year. Throughout this time, we have seen the strength of what is possible when communities come together to support each other. This is the case with a food bank located in Sheridan, Colorado.
Sharing with Sheridan is a volunteer-operated food pantry that opened in Sheridan in June 2014. The founding members initially looked to do a meal program; however, after completing a focus group, they learned they needed a food pantry. At the time, the city showed high poverty levels. Therefore, Stephanie Otto, the Operations Director for Sharing with Sheridan, members of St. Philip Lutheran Church and other community partners decided to open the food pantry to support those in need.
From April 2019 to March 2020, Sharing with Sheridan served about 34 families a week or 6,651 people over the course of the year. Customers could come twice a month to get dry goods, meat, cheese and other food options. In 2020, once COVID-19 affected jobs and communities everywhere, the need for the food pantry grew, and their method of operations shifted. With the pandemic, they could no longer host people inside their pantry and adjusted to offer a drive-thru service in the parking lot of the local recreation center. The pantry also removed their two visits a month limit and allowed those in the community and any students from Sheridan Public Schools to come to the pantry as often as they need.
Not only did COVID-19 change how they serve the community, but it caused an increase in the number of people they serve. From April 2020 to March 2021, Sharing with Sheridan served an average of 126 families a week, resulting in 27,198 people served. Many people who receive food from Sharing with Sheridan also want to give back by volunteering their own time at the food pantry. With the number of people needing food increasing, so has the need for donations. Sharing with Sheridan gets most of their food from donations and local food banks, including the Food Bank of the Rockies. Wold Architects and Engineers has been fortunate enough to partner alongside Sharing with Sheridan through volunteering and donations. Within our Denver office, the food bank has become a central teammate in our venture to better the communities we serve, and we cherish the opportunity to continue this relationship for many years to come.
If you are interested in supporting Sharing with Sheridan, you can visit here to learn more about the food pantry and provide a donation. If you live close to Sheridan, you can support them with food or monetary contributions; additionally, you can sign up to volunteer.