{"id":86809,"date":"2025-11-13T09:11:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T16:11:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=86809"},"modified":"2025-11-17T15:35:59","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T22:35:59","slug":"food-to-power-free-fresh-food-colorado-springs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/food-to-power-free-fresh-food-colorado-springs\/","title":{"rendered":"As food costs rise, fresh food advocates step up to help people facing hunger, food insecurity"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Food
Theresa Donnelly, a volunteer at a recent No Cost Grocery program at Food to Power, helps shoppers choose from a variety of fresh vegetables harvested that morning from the on-site farm. Photo by Mark Reis, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The line outside the No Cost Grocery<\/a> program formed three hours before the doors opened at Food to Power<\/a>, a nonprofit in Colorado Springs that hosts fresh food pop-ups twice a week.<\/p>\n

People of all ages, some with families, waited to shop from the colorful bins of fresh produce \u2013 bright red and orange peppers, deep green chard and lettuce and light green tomatillos with their papery husks. Other bins overflowed with food from Sprouts and Trader Joe\u2019s, some of it slightly blemished or no longer suitable for sale. Packages of meat and ready-to-eat meals sat on another table.<\/p>\n

Shoppers reached up to shelves on tall racks to choose canned vegetables, loaves of bread, packages of tortillas and more. Household goods such as toilet paper, shampoo and sunscreen were available on another table. A refrigerator offered milk, eggs and other dairy foods. More than a dozen volunteers cleaned, weighed and packaged food and answered shoppers\u2019 questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes anyone need dog food?\u201d one volunteer called out.<\/p>\n

Andrea Torres tries to make it to the No Cost Grocery program as often as she can after her overnight shift at a local retail distribution warehouse. When she was a Pikes Peak State College<\/a> student, she volunteered at Food to Power. Now, she shops at the No Cost Grocery to help stretch her salary. On this day, she filled two bags with salad, bread, frozen meats, paper towels, fresh fruit and eggs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means a lot,\u201d she said of the program. \u201cAnd it helps a lot of people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Food
Andrea Torres shops for fresh produce at the No Cost Grocery. Food to Power’s pop-up shopping event at its Hillside Hub southeast of downtown Colorado Springs offers vegetables and herbs grown in the on-site farm, slightly blemished food donated by local grocers and household goods. Photo by Mark Reis, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nearly 200 people attended the event on a recent Tuesday. It\u2019s a \u201cno-questions-asked\u201d chance to get food. Shoppers do not have to meet eligibility requirements or fill out paperwork. They need only sign up on the paper form posted at 9 a.m.<\/p>\n

The No Cost Grocery program is just one of several ways that Food to Power provides food to people who need it \u2013 35,000 people last year alone.<\/p>\n

Food to Power\u2019s executive director, Patience Kabwasa, said she\u2019s seeing an unprecedented need for food assistance. As grocery prices have risen and government funding for food assistance has declined, hunger is on the rise.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a moment in time when people need food exponentially more than they ever have in recent history,\u201d Kabwasa said.<\/p>\n

To help reduce hunger and food insecurity, UCHealth leaders recently approved a $30,000 grant to Food to Power, part of UCHealth’s $775,000 in grants to 76 organizations across Colorado<\/a>. The grants aim to improve the lives of people in the communities UCHealth serves. Last year, UCHealth provided $1.3 billion in community benefits<\/a>, including $568 million in uncompensated care.<\/p>\n

During challenging times, Kabwasa, called the grant a “lifeline” as she and her small staff and dozens of volunteers do all they can to bring fresh, healthy food to people in need.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe fresh food is a human right,\u201d Kabwasa said.<\/p>\n

\"Shane
Shane Nelson is the farm director at Food to Power. The quarter-acre farm at the nonprofit’s headquarters in southeast Colorado Springs produced more than 10,000 pounds of food last year. Nelson and his team grew 25 types of vegetables – tomatoes, peppers, squash, spinach and more, plus a variety of herbs. He will continue to harvest through the fall and provide fresh food for the No Cost Grocery program. Photo by Mark Reis, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From food rescue to a thriving food ecosystem, Food to Power expands reach<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A group of volunteers started what would become Food to Power in 2013, working with local stores to collect healthy food not fit for sale \u2013 a bruised apple, for example \u2013 to provide to people who do not have ready access to food.

Read more about Food Rescue centers<\/a> and where to find one near you? <\/div>\n

Kabwasa started volunteering in 2015, then applied for a job in 2016. She became executive director in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused a surge in the need for food assistance as schools closed and people lost jobs.<\/p>\n

She and her team changed the organization\u2019s name a few years ago and broadened their scope beyond the flagship food rescue program to work toward creating a \u201cthriving, equitable food system\u201d in Colorado Springs.<\/p>\n

\"Patience
Patience Kabwasa, executive director of Food to Power, stands in one of the greenhouses at the organization’s headquarters in the Hillside neighborhood in southeast Colorado Springs. She started volunteering with the nonprofit in 2015 and joined a year later as a staff member. Photo by Mark Reis, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The systemic issues that cause hunger and food insecurity \u2013 rising costs of groceries and housing, job losses, lack of transportation, shuttered grocery stores and cuts to federal assistance programs \u2013 have become more pronounced, Kabwasa said.<\/p>\n

She and her team now focus on three priorities: food access, food education and food production.<\/p>\n

In 2022, Food to Power opened its Hillside Hub atop a bluff in the Hillside neighborhood, a lower-income area southeast of downtown Colorado Springs. The hub is a hive of activity, with a quarter-acre farm, smaller gardens, greenhouses and a composting operation. Since 2019, Food to Power has saved 2.6 million pounds of fresh produce from the landfill. The headquarters building houses offices and serves as a meeting and event space. Large colorful murals adorn walls and outbuildings to pay homage to the neighborhood’s history. This is where No Cost Grocery happens on Tuesdays and Thursdays.<\/p>\n

\"Food
Carrots harvested that morning at Food to Power are part of the offerings at a recent No Cost Grocery event. Food to Power hosts the event for anyone who signs up at its headquarters and urban farm location in southeast Colorado Springs. Photo by Mark Reis, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cHaving a fresh food ecosystem that also becomes an economic driver in the community and makes food available is so important,\u201d Kabwasa said.<\/p>\n

Shoppers delight in the choices at No Cost Grocery. ‘It\u2019s actual fresh food.’<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Shane Nelson is the farm director at Food to Power. This year, he and his team grew 25 types of vegetables \u2013 tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, lettuce, spinach, rhubarb, and kale, and more, plus a variety of herbs. The farm produced more than 10,000 pounds of food last year alone. A few crops are still in the ground this fall. Nelson will begin growing next year\u2019s plants in the nearby greenhouse in the new year.<\/p>\n

\"Food
Food to Power, a nonprofit in Colorado Springs that hosts pop-up, no-cost grocery events, also has a farm and composting operation. Photo by Mark Reis, for UCHealth<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the recent No Cost Grocery event, Nelson harvested chard, tomatillos, cherry tomatoes, turnips, radishes, carrots, beets, onions, dill and cilantro. In addition to their own No Cost Grocery, Food to Power staff provide logistical support to other similar programs in town.<\/p>\n

Alyssa Hostetler and her partner Cameron Marquez shopped the No Cost Grocery after learning that they wouldn\u2019t receive their November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits. It was their second time visiting the Hillside Hub.<\/p>\n

\"Food
Alyssa Hostetler took home fresh lettuce, strawberries, apples as well as meat and eggs after shopping at a recent No Cost Grocery. Photo by Mark Reis, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis is helping out a lot,\u201d Hostetler said as they loaded meat, salad, eggs, strawberries and apples into the back of their van.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s not just canned food,\u201d she said. \u201cIt’s actual fresh food. It was a really cool experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Food to Power\u2019s other programs include No Cost Delivery, which delivers fresh groceries weekly to older people and those who can\u2019t get to a food site; and Community Fridge, in partnership with the SE Food Coalition, which maintains a public refrigerator that stocks fresh, perishable food for anyone. The organization has eight employees and a $1.2 million annual budget.<\/p>\n

In El Paso County, almost 10% of the population, or nearly 70,000 people, are considered \u201cfood insecure,\u201d according to Feeding America<\/a>, a nationwide network of food banks, food pantries and meal programs. Food insecurity refers to a person\u2019s inability to get food due to a lack of money, transportation, nearby grocery stores or other essential resources, according to Feeding America.<\/p>\n

\"Food
Food to Power remains true to its roots as a food rescue organization and has added other programs, including its No Cost Grocery program, to provide fresh food to help people who face barriers in getting nutritious food. Photo by Mark Reis, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Challenges mount for food assistance programs in Colorado Springs<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The demand for Food to Power\u2019s programs more than doubled from 2023 to 2024, with 21,000 additional people seeking help getting food. Kabwasa predicts an even greater need as 2025 draws to a close.

Composting is a great way to ‘recycle’ your food waste, and you can put in as much or as little time into composting as you want. Learn about the basics<\/a> of getting started.<\/div>\n

She and her team have faced a host of challenges. Earlier this year, she learned that federal officials canceled crucial grants, which they hoped to receive. One was a multimillion-dollar grant from the Environmental Protection Agency that would have enabled Food to Power to expand its composting enterprise, which generates revenue. Proposed federal budgets also may cut spending on food assistance programs by tightening eligibility standards and decreasing benefits. A weeks-long federal government shutdown meant most federal workers didn\u2019t get paid, and November SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs<\/a>) were on hold.<\/p>\n

During tough times, Kabwasa and her colleagues are doing all they can to provide fresh, healthy food to people in need.<\/p>\n

\"Food
Fresh produce harvested from the Food to Power farm becomes part of the No Cost Grocery program a few hours later. The farm director, Shane Nelson, grows more than 25 varieties of produce at the quarter-acre farm at Food to Power’s headquarters in southeast Colorado Springs. Photo by Mark Reis, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe are going to feed the people we can with the resources we have,\u201d she said. \u201cWill we be able to alleviate hunger? Not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

But there are bright spots for Kabwasa and Food to Power. One was the passage of two November ballot measures in Colorado that secure funding for the Healthy School Meals for All<\/a> program. Additional taxes on higher-income taxpayers will ensure breakfast and lunch for all public-school students<\/p>\n

The $30,000 UCHealth grant also provided valuable support at a critical time.<\/p>\n

Kabwasa praised UCHealth leaders for supporting access to nutritious food, which, in turn, helps people stay healthier.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to help us continue to feed families with fresh food in a time when we are experiencing unprecedented need,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\n

A number of Colorado organizations provide help to those with food insecurity. The following received grants from UCHealth:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Northern Colorado:<\/p>\n

\n
    \n
  • Food Bank for Larimer County<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Fort Collins Rescue Mission<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • House of Neighborly Service<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • KidsPak<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Loveland Meals on Wheels<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Loveland Community Kitchen<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Serve 6.8 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Weld Food Bank<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Metro Denver:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Center for Work Education and Employment<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Food Bank of the Rockies<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Food for Thought Denver<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Project Angel Heart<\/span><\/li>\n
    • The Gathering Place<\/li>\n
    • Village Exchange Center<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Southern Colorado:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Food to Power<\/li>\n
      • Pueblo Cooperative Care Center<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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People of all ages, some with families, waited to shop from the colorful bins of fresh produce \u2013 bright red and orange peppers, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2418,"featured_media":86822,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,8],"tags":[3921,275,9210,21],"class_list":["post-86809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","category-news","tag-community-benefits-report","tag-food-and-nutrition","tag-free-things-colorado","tag-southern-colorado"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nColorado Springs nonprofit offers free fresh food to those in need - 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