COLORADO CITY
One of the Sangre de Cristo Volunteers for Community’s (VFC) longest-running projects is Stella’s Open Pantry.
The pantry, held from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of every month (with some exceptions for holidays) at the Colorado City Rec Center, 5000 Cuerno Verde Blvd, Colorado City is a godsend for anyone struggling to buy groceries.
The pantry distributes donated food that is collected through various collection boxes in Rye and Colorado City and by volunteers in person at Valley Market on the first Friday of each month. Collection boxes are located at the Bank of San Juans, Valley Market, and at the Greenhorn Valley Library. Many of the generous VFC members and community members and businesses donate either food or funding to help stock the pantry.
There are no income, age, or residential restrictions to take food from the pantry.
Participants are required to sign a sheet giving their names and how many are in the household. The atmosphere is very non-judgmental. Anyone is warmly welcomed to come to stock their home pantries, no questions asked. Unlike other pantries, participants are able to select items they need rather than having preselected items.
Participants can select from many varieties of food items including all sorts of canned goods, cereals, boxes and bags of food, fresh fruit and vegetables, beverage mixes, toilet paper, and meat. With well over 50 local families being served each month at the pantry, VFC is always looking for volunteers to help set up the goods and carry boxes for those who need assistance. Contact Connie Resewher at 719-4893110 if you can volunteer or need more information.