Editor’s notice: The Ouray County Plaindealer is showcasing nonprofit companies which are based mostly in Ouray County and serve Ouray County in a series of profiles titled Time of Sharing. The function of these profiles is to highlight the meaningful do the job currently being performed by these corporations and let the group know how they can enable them even more, as the holiday seasons technique and we arrive at the end of 2022. Look for these profiles released weekly from now via the finish of the 12 months. Make sure you know this is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of nonprofit companies in Ouray County.
Calendar year fashioned: 2008, turned a nonprofit in 2012.
What does your organization do for Ouray County?
Before the food pantry opens its doorway just about every Thursday afternoon, clientele are often currently lining up exterior. The pantry purchases shelf-secure food items from the Food stuff Bank of the Rockies, which it distributes weekly, together with as a great deal new create, meat and dairy as achievable, and other donated items, which can variety from toothbrushes and lotion to condiments and snacks.
The pantry serves about 17 to 25 clientele each individual week, Board President Beverly Angehrn explained. Lots of are seniors dwelling on fastened incomes or men and women with disabilities, whilst many others get the job done full-time work, but with the higher price of residing here, “they’re building wages that never make it in Ouray County.”
In 2022, there was a focused plot for the Food Pantry at the Ridgway Community Backyard for the initially time. “It was variety of an experimental matter to see how it would work out,” she stated, and it was operate by a couple who volunteer for the pantry. “If our volunteers are even now ready to do it upcoming yr, we’ll do it once again,” she reported. Other develop donations also arrived from persons with their have gardens, she mentioned.
To receive food stuff from the pantry, purchasers are only expected to clearly show proof of home in Ouray County.
On the initial Thursday of each and every thirty day period, pantry volunteers also distribute food items supplied via the Commodity Supplemental Food stuff Application and The Crisis Food items Assistance Method (TEFAP), both federally- funded money-limited plans. About 30 to 35 men and women participate in that program monthly, Angehrn mentioned.
What are some goals or assignments you have in intellect for 2023?
The pantry is working to accommodate an predicted maximize in require for its services upcoming year, Angehrn reported.
“With the financial system, things are so highly-priced, so we’re anticipating that we’ll see additional folks taking part just about every 7 days,” she stated.
They’re also performing to improve the amount of deliver available, in addition to the shelf-steady products. “That’s our main obstacle, owning fresh new deliver,” Angehrn mentioned.
Inform us how the local community can support you do extra great get the job done: Food items drives from regional corporations, faculties and church buildings are valuable, Angehrn claimed, due to the fact they aid the pantry give much more variety and alternative for purchasers.
There are volunteer opportunities on Thursday when the pantry is open – volunteers ordinarily perform as soon as for each month – as perfectly as encouraging unload vans of food, supporting with distinctive initiatives and cleaning times, or in the garden. The organization moved into its making at 602 Cora St. in 2021, which came with a flower garden. “It’s a lot of function, so we genuinely appreciate folks keen to shell out an hour or two to from time to time appear in,” she mentioned, aiding with pruning, cleansing and other maintenance.
Fiscal donations can be designed on line at ouraycountyfoodpantry. org, or by mailing a examine to P.O. Box 903, Ridgway, CO 81432. Foods donations can be approved even though the pantry is open up, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. just about every Thursday a list of most-sought after merchandise is also obtainable on the organization’s site.
