Bearing the November evening cold, local volunteers and Boys & Girl Clubs staff stood outside the club in Alamosa with a vanload of food boxes, handing them out to anyone who wanted one or needed one. They had 70 boxes in Alamosa and 30 other boxes at the other Boys and Girls Club locations throughout the San Luis Valley. The goal over the next six weeks, through the winter, is to hand out boxes.
“The commitment is to do this for the next six weeks, to see if we can continue doing it on through the winter as long as we can — as long as the funds last,” said Boys & Girls Clubs co-director Aaron Miltenberger.
The idea to get boxes of food put together came with the federal government shutdown and the uncertainty over nutritional assistance benefits being distributed. Miltenberger said Hunter Jack from Alamosa Home Furniture approached him with the idea of distributing food.
Jason Medina from the Community Foundation of the San Luis Valley also hopped on board, then the two organizations approached Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado
BGCSLV is now a proud partner of Care and Share, and receives food at no cost from the organization. Care and Share works with 278 partner agencies throughout its 29-county service area in Southern Colorado.
The boxes are full of ingredients and staples to make three to four meals, including five-pound bags of donated, local potatoes.
Even the boxes were donated.
As they left family night at the club, Jonathan Hazard just asked families if they wanted a free box of food. No one denied a box. What doesn’t get handed out will go into the club for distribution throughout the week. But every week, for the next six weeks, you can find a free box of food at a Boys and Girls club location in the San Luis Valley.
“It’s one of those Valley stories,” said Miltenberger.
Editors note: This story has been edited to accurately reflect BGCSLV’s partnership with Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado.
