Community Changer: Denver Food Rescue

Food insecurity in the United States is a widespread problem - the issue is not confined to a single region or group of people.

In the state of Colorado, for example, populations in metro areas such as Denver have reported rising levels of food insecurity since the COVID-19 pandemic - in a 2021 survey, nearly 1 in 3 Coloradans reported being food insecure.

Rising gas costs, grocery costs, and inflation in general have also made it more difficult for Colorado residents to access the resources they need.

Luckily - one of Replate’s longtime partners - Denver Food Rescue - is doing crucial work to help increase food access in Colorado’s most populous metropolitan area.

Founded in 2014 as an offshoot of Boulder Food Rescue, Denver Food Rescue is a non-profit organization that aims to - in their words - increase health equity with Denver neighborhoods by rescuing high-quality, fresh produce and perishable foods.

DFR rescues fresh food surplus from grocery stores, caterers, farmer’s markets, and other local food generators, and they redistribute it to their local communities. This food rescue operation ensures that nutrient-dense food is put back into local neighborhoods instead of going to waste.

Denver Food Rescue distributes food surplus through their 21 different No-cost Grocery Programs. These grocery programs are typically open to the public, and recipients do not need to provide identification or proof of income to receive food.

Additionally, to further lower the barrier to food access, these programs are often set up in community hubs/centers - such as cultural centers or housing complexes for underserved community members, such as the elderly. Hosting the grocery programs in locations where community members already frequent makes travel less of an issue - as many community members may have mobility issues or limited access to transportation.

Denver food rescue emphasizes working with their local communities rather than imposing upon them; the No-cost Grocery Programs are established based on community need, and community members or other organizations are the ones to approach DFR to request assistance rather than vice-versa.

Unlike a traditional ‘food bank’ model, where pre-selected items are allocated for donation, Denver Food Rescue’s programs allow recipients to choose their food items - giving community members a higher degree of autonomy over the food that they eat.

By operating in this way, DFR is able to ensure that they are working ‘with’ their local neighborhoods rather than just ‘in’ them.

Replate & Denver Food Rescue

As one of our longtime food rescue partners, Denver Food Rescue has rescued food from a variety of Replate donors, and still does so on a weekly basis.

Throughout our nearly 3-year partnership, DFR has rescued more than 35,000 lbs of food surplus!

The prepared food that Denver Food Rescue picks up on our behalf is able to directly support some of the local non-profit organizations that DFR works with - such as Urban Peak - an organization that provides resources to unhoused youth, and Spirit of the Sun - an indigenous-led nonprofit that supports local Native communities.

We’re extremely grateful that we can support the work that Denver Food Rescue does through their No-cost Grocery programs.

With the cost of living - including food - only continuing to increase, prepared food donations are an essential method of supporting those who do not have consistent access to appliances or ingredients to prepare their own meals.

Last month, as recognition of their amazing efforts throughout Denver, Denver Food Rescue was awarded the “Small Nonprofit of the Year” Award by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Well deserved!

Thank you DFR for all that you do - we’re proud to share the food recovery space with such an amazing partner!

Interested in helping out in the fight against food waste and climate change? Learn more here!

Learn more about Denver Food Rescue on their website.