Invisible

This Blog Has Moved....

2010-07-06T07:23:00.001-07:00

We've merged our two blogs. Same content, different address! Visit us at www.hungerbytes.blogspot.com.

Red

2010-04-12T08:21:00.001-07:00

Red explained to us that sometimes during the month food runs low. After the bills are paid, there's not much money left for basic necessities like food. "It’s really helpful to come to a place like this pantry. Fresh food is what I can’t afford, so I can get it here. I've worked since I was 12 and due to physical problems, I can’t work anymore. SSI isn’t enough to afford everything I need to survive."

Arturo

2010-03-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

Arturo and his wife are here from Chile working with the poor in NW Denver. He has a small salary that doesn’t stretch as far as it used to. “We get our food mostly from whatever is available at the local food pantry. The food in the grocery store is too expensive. I am diabetic, so I need to be eating healthy foods. I rarely buy anything from the store because the prices keep getting higher. With the help of the food pantry, we can eat much better.”

We Turn Our Heads Away

2010-02-18T10:04:00.000-08:00

The intent of these photos is to capture the emotion and story of those living on the streets in the Capital Hill neighborhood of Denver. Every day these people put aside their dignity and beg for help. Without prompting for any special poses or postures, these photos give a glimpse into their lives. These photographs give us a chance to look into their eyes, when our usual reaction is to turn our heads away.

Photographer: Joel Rafferty

Mrs. Simbrion's sons

2010-02-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Simbrion brings her sons Christopher, Jonny, David and Anthony to a food pantry sponsored by Heart Resource Center in Aurora. This helps them get her through the month by providing staples for growing boys as well as special treats they can’t afford.

Photographer: Douglas Bowen

Bobby

2009-12-28T14:09:00.000-08:00

As told by Nola of Feeding America during an interview in Colorado.....

When we first reached out to the church where Bobby’s pantry is located, the Pastor insisted we interview this quiet, unassuming father of two teenage daughters first. In his pastor’s words, “Bobby is the backbone of the work we do here.” From moving pallets of food from the Food Bank of the Rockies trucks to their temporary spot on the pantry’s shelves, to reorganizing the chairs in the recreation room of the makeshift church, Bobby is there at least one day
a week to give the pantry a hand. He does this wholeheartedly, in gratitude of the food he takes home in a large box each week. With the cost of living steadily increasing, this 62-year-old retiree spends many days debating the pros and cons of coming out of retirement. While his wife still works managing the cafeteria of a local public school, the money she makes combined with Bobby’s Social Security check is not enough to keep the family of four fed.

With all the worries he has in life, it’s amazing to observe how Bobby never raises his voice in nervous excitement, never really lets the concerned strain creep through his serene cadence. In fact, through a calm smile, he chuckles about the future of his 17-year-old daughter, a senior in high school who jumps back and forth between joining the ROTC or going to college. “It seems like she’s changing her mind all the time,” he says of her teenage waywardness. What she chooses may cost them financially, so this former automotive technician and business owner now picks up the occasional odd job painting apartments and tending to plumbing. “We just do the best we can, when they need something we just sacrifice and get it. We always put them first.”

Laurie

2009-11-09T07:08:00.000-08:00

Laurie is one of the 15% of homeless individuals served through FBR's partner agencies. She calls the Cherry Creek bike path home and is hungry most days. Going without basic necessities is commonplace for her and so many of our Colorado neighbors.

Photographer: Tiffany Mulherin

Lives in Transition

2009-11-02T12:47:00.000-08:00

These are portraits of lives in transition -the people associated with Denver Rescue Mission -homeless transients, program residents and volunteers. Denver Rescue Mission offers food and housing for the homeless as well as long term rehab and transitional housing programs. These men are working toward a better life.

Photographer: John Walthier

Seeds of Tomorrow

2009-10-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

Warren Village is a non-profit organization that assists formerly homeless, low-income, single parent families in achieving sustainable personal and economic self-sufficiency.
The folks at Warren Village view their theme “Seeds of Tomorrow” from two perspectives. By planting seeds, the children learn a lesson similar to that of a fisherman. “Teach them to fish, and they’ll eat for a lifetime.” They believe that teaching them to grow a garden will begin their journey towards a life of self-sufficiency. From another standpoint, they see these bright young children as “Seeds of tomorrow” with hope that they’ll grow up to be responsible human beings, fostering inspiration, leadership and love.

Photographer: Joan M. Hill

Charles

2009-10-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

Charles Alcott of Denver sits on the bank of the Cherry Creek near Speer and Lincoln. To the right of the photo is the site where Charles recently risked his life by diving into the raging water to save the life of a drowning victim. In April, a man slipped on the bank of the river and fell in. A witness called 911. Downstream, from the ledge that was providing shelter from the snow, Charles dove into the icy water and dragged the victim ashore, where Denver Rescue crews were just arriving, and brought the victim to the hospital, and ultimately to safety.
Charles calls this area his home and has been living near the path for years. He is a Native American from the Crazy Horse People and is a mix between OgaLaLa Lakota and Dine. His family still lives on a reservation, but he calls the parks of Denver Home.

Photographer: Joe Morahan

3 Sisters

2009-09-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

World hunger is a global problem and one usually associated with Third World countries. But what happens when you receive an email that asks you to seek out and share the stories of people in your community that are struggling with hunger? You start out on a journey that leads you to the most unexpected place – a story to share with others about your own family’s struggle with hunger.

Go back one year to find out that your cousin’s husband lost his job. Your mind automatically goes to the most visible issues – losing the house, losing the car, losing the identity and dignity of being the breadwinner of the family. Never once, from the outsider’s perspective, does the mind go to the issue of how to support a family of 5 on nothing. Without such places as Food Bank of the Rockies, or the Douglas County Task Force, I’m not sure what my cousin would have done.
My cousin graciously allowed me to share her story with an amazing degree of candor and humor. Even in the face of adversity, a simple afternoon at the park brings forth her children’s innocence and sheer happiness.

Photographer: Katie Lienert (Top photo is the winner of the amateur category for the Faces of Hunger Photo Contest).

Ruth

2009-08-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

5 years ago, Ruth came to Colorado from Mexico with her husband and 5 children. The violence in Mexico threatened their safety and they wanted a better life for their children. A fresh start. She found a local food pantry to help them keep food on the table and decided to give back by volunteering at the pantry while her husband works as a full time painter. As long as they need help to stay afloat, she wants to give back.

Daniel

2009-07-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

Hunger is so often an invisible problem. This is especially evident in the eyes of a child. You can see the joy in Daniel's eyes, despite the fact that his family doesn't always know where their next meal will come from. The bad things don't seem so bad to Daniel - he loves the fact that he can get doughnuts and play at the local church pantry. Daniel's parents both work. Every day. But they don't make enough to make ends meet for Daniel and his siblings. The local food pantry is their lifeline for food, fellowship and programs for the kids.

D'Andre

2009-06-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

D'Andre and his wife both work full time. He was recently laid off, but finds landscaping jobs to keep him busy while he looks for steady employment. When she's not at work, his wife is going to school for medical transcription. In the mean time, they have six kids to feed. Six friendly, polite, outgoing kids who are more than willing to share a smile or joke with listening ears. D'Andre and his wife visit a local church pantry for food boxes and are extremely enthusiastic about the support of the pantry and the church staff. What would they do without this support? They're not quite sure.

Leslie

2009-06-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

In 1999, Leslie was acting as caretaker for her mother and was having a tough time making ends meet. She started visiting a local food pantry and senior center and hasn't stopped since. Her SSI and food stamps help, but without the food boxes she picks up a couple times per month, she wouldn't get fresh produce and healthy items offered at the pantry. Leslie values this home away from home more than words can express and spends much of her time volunteering and giving back to the people who help her so much.

Denver Magazine Faces of Hunger Photo Contest

2009-06-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

In an effort to raise awareness about the reality of hunger in our community, we've joined forces with Denver Magazine, Channel 2 The Deuce and FOX 31 for the Faces of Hunger Photo Contest. There are hundreds of thousands of people living in our own backyard who are struggling to put food on the table. It could be your neighbor, your hair dresser, your child's bus driver, your class mate.

Amateur and professional photographers are invited to take photos of a hungry Coloradoan and submit their photos and application to FBR for judging. Mayor Hickenlooper's office, FOX 31's Natalie Tysdal, FBR's Kevin Seggelke, professional photographer, Greg Cradick and Denver Magazine's Michael Ledwitz will judge the entries and winners will be featured in both Denver Magazine and on FOX & The Deuce's morning shows. Top entries will be displayed at a gallery event, open to the public, on September 2, 2009 at Fat Tail Art Gallery.

Visit http://www.foodbankrockies.org/ for the application. We hope to see your photos of faces of hunger very soon.

Robert

2009-05-14T10:16:00.000-07:00

On a mild week day morning in April, Robert took his place in a line that stretched a city block. This line is worth waiting in for all these folks because it means a meal. Even if it's the only one they get that day. Robert was in prison for years and when he was released he found himself with no one. And no place to go. With no identification, it was impossible to find employment. Fortunately, he found a number of organizations who were more than willing to lend a helping hand. They helped him get on his feet, gave him a place to rest his head, food to keep him nourished and made sure he was able to renew his barber's license.

Robert was happy to share his story. He's not proud of his past, but he is proud of where he's headed and promises that "When I get back on my feet financially, I'm definitely giving back."

Claudette

2009-04-13T07:38:00.000-07:00

71 year old Claudette tells me that lately, it's impossible to make ends meet. For over 28 years she worked for Montgomery Ward and had to retire due to her husband's epilepsy and health issues. Until a few years ago, they managed to make ends meet without assistance. That's just not possible anymore. They're both on social security and rely on a local pantry for food - "a blessing from God," says Claudette. "We live in a small apartment. The energy costs, high cost of food, car insurance, gas...it's overwhelming. Growing old isn't for sissies. Throw in some health problems and before you know it, you're broke."

Curtis

2009-03-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

For 10 years, Curtis worked as a Senior Program Analyst for the Denver Newspaper Agency. He made a good living and spent much of his free time volunteering with the company's ACTS Volunteer Program. For the past 2 years, Curtis has spent all his vacation days volunteering at FBR.

In October of last year Curtis was laid off. In a matter of minutes he was without income. After a couple months of unsuccessfully looking for work he called Olive at FBR and asked if he could volunteer at FBR. Curtis shows up at FBR every single morning around 8:30am, leaves mid afternoon and spends the rest of his days looking for work. "Volunteering here is how I get through my days. I was getting really depressed sitting at home looking for work and wondering what I was going to do." Curtis may not be working for a pay check right now, but he's definitely working to make a difference for countless people who are struggling to make ends meet.

2,000 Families & 5,000 Kids

2008-12-22T13:07:00.000-08:00

This morning I witnessed a line of our neighbors that extended around a city block in East Denver. Last week, 2,000 families and more than 5,000 children signed up with Volunteers of America to receive a bag of food to get them through this holiday week. They lined up before 8:00am this morning to pick up the much needed food. VOA volunteers served coffee and hot chocolate outside as folks waited in the bitter cold. The line didn't end. And neither did the innocent faces of countless kids who were surprised to find "Santa" inside and thousands of presents waiting just for them. For many, these gifts are the first "new" item they've ever claimed as their own.

VOA has organized this enormously vital effort for over 12 years. FBR has been honored to be given the opportunity to provide the food, Safeway donates hams for each family and a generous group of Realtors donates gifts for the kids. Working together for those who don't have the resources to do so is a beautiful thing.

Zeke

2008-11-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

Zeke decided in his early years that he wasn't wanting for anything, so why not give back to those who are? Rather than stockpile the latest toys for his birthday party, he asked all his friends to donate food or money to FBR. That they did. Zeke, who's currently growing his hair out to donate to Locks of Love, toured our warehouse and shared some words of wisdom.

"What can people do if they don't have enough money to pay for food? They're suffering. It feels good to know that when people support FBR and agencies, it's like saving someones life who's starving. When you help, you're saving lives, so why not do it?" A little heart sure can go a long way.

Savannah

2008-10-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hot was an understatement. But temperatures pushing 100 didn’t stop folks from coming out to the Produce and Health Fair in Northglenn this summer. Before the fair opened at 9:00 a.m., the line was already reaching beyond the block and around the corner. People were waiting for healthy food – food they could not otherwise afford. Volunteers scurried to ready the pallets of bananas, carrots, plums, bread and yogurt provided by FBR. Gardeners had also donated some lettuce and tomatoes. As people reached the food, we asked them their stories. Let me introduce Savannah.

This young woman was expecting her first child any day. “I just registered for food stamps,“ she says, “and that’s how I found out about this fair. There’s some good information here on nutrition and fruits and veggies. I’m also going to get the car seat checked for safety before the baby comes.” After the baby arrives Savannah plans to take six weeks off -unpaid. “My boyfriend works too, but without my income, we can’t cover the bills. My mom was just laid off from a tech company, so she's not able to help us. She's struggling herself. Without programs like this one, we'd have more credit card debt or worse, we just wouldn't eat every day. This baby needs nutrition. I wouldn't be able to provide that for him or her.”

Ulysses

2008-09-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

Uly knows firsthand what it's like to be without. He graciously tells the story of what brought him to serve on FBR's Board of Directors in the video below. Check it out.

Arely, Isabel & Githzell

2008-08-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

The students at Smith Elementary & Whittier Elementary in Denver don't live in an upscale area of town. Many of them find themselves wondering where their next meal will come from. When these kids were asked to choose a charitable cause to focus their efforts on, they read books, researched and decided to focus their energy on the issue of hunger. The kids set up a food and fund drive, wrote letters asking for sponsors to pledge an amount for each can collected, and collected the cans and the money. Food Bank of the Rockies was chosen to receive the food collected and the money pledged was sent to Heifer International to buy animals for villagers that produce a sustainable food source. FBR sent a truck to each school where the students grinned ear to ear while loading their donations into barrels in the truck. Arely, Isabel and Githzell had a lot to say about why it's important to help those who are hungry.

Dolerez, Naomi & Max

2008-07-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

Dolerez came to the United States 26 years ago in hopes of providing a better life for her 5 children. And that she did. One child is currently in law school and one is in the midst of obtaining a degree in social work. Between her 5 children, Dolorez has 8 grandchildren who spend time with her while their parents work and go to school. She volunteers weekly at a local food pantry and offers transportation to neighbors in need. Dolorez understands what it's like to rely on others for daily needs. She too uses the local food pantry in order to feed herself and her family. "I can't afford fresh vegetables and fruits, so I'm so grateful to get them through my weekly food box. Says granddaughter Naomi as her brother Max runs around carrying a loaf of bread , "If somebody falls down, we need to pick them up."

Loretta

2008-06-26T11:56:00.000-07:00

Loretta used to throw away food at meals.

"Never did I believe that I'd be in this situation. I have college background and worked for the city for over 30 years. Retirement wasn't supposed to bring this with it."

Her husband is on social security due to osteoporosis and most of their money has to go toward medical bills. Food stamps might help but their income level is $40 too high to qualify.

"If it weren't for the Ellen Torres Bienvenidos Food Bank, we'd go hungry. We'd eat beans and tortillas. I swallow my pride and take the bus at 7:00am to get here early enough to get milk. We just thank God that we have access to food assistance and that we can meet others who need help."

Brandy

2008-06-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

Brandy is being raised by a single mom. Daycare is too expensive, so her mom had to quit her job. They sold their car due to the cost of fuel and maintenance, which means they walk where they need to go. Luckily a local food pantry is close to home. Otherwise they wouldn't have enough food to get them through the week.

Mike

2008-06-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

When you see a long line of people, you assume that there's something worthwhile at the other end. Something worth waiting for. At Holy Ghost Church downtown Denver, that something is a PB&J sandwich and a bag of cookies. And for many folks, that sandwich is definitely worth waiting for. The line-up starts at 9:30am and by the time lunch is served at 10:00, a couple hundred hungry Coloradoans are waiting for a meal they count on for daily survival. Monday through Saturday these folks line up.

Mike is the guy behind the table handing out the meals. He meets everyone's eye and refuses to be called "Sir." Mike has made it his daily mission to feed the hungry and provide them with respect. Not only are meals served, but the program through Holy Ghost Church assists with providing birth certificates, photo Id's and finances for housing. The essentials for a homeless person wanting to get back on his or her feet.

"I learn from these guys. They're real people with stories to tell and they've become friends of mine. The Bible tells me to "feed the hungry and clothe the naked." So that's what he does.