The summer 2025 edition of our Regional Partnerships newsletter explored food insecurity in Colorado through an interview with leading expert on the matter Erin Pulling.
Erin Pulling, President and CEO of Food Bank of the Rockies, first saw her passion for nutrition grow while providing medically tailored meals for people living with severe illnesses through Project Angel Heart in Denver. In 2019, this dedication to addressing food insecurity led Pulling to her current role at Food Bank of the Rockies where she discovered she could significantly increase her impact in addressing this challenge.
Food Bank of the Rockies distributes enough food for more than 185,000 meals per day through more than 800 Hunger Relief Partners across the northern half of Colorado and all of Wyoming. The organization delivers food to local food pantries as well as distributes 10 to 20 percent of its food directly to individuals.
Rising Levels of Food Insecurity
Food insecurity needs fluctuated drastically in the past five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, rising food costs, and a decrease in federal funding to food providers. However, Pulling explained as the demand for food bank services increased, the amount of food provided increased as well:
“We all remember the long lines of cars to get food, but what also happened in the height of the pandemic was an unprecedented outpouring of philanthropic support, and so food banks and food pantries did a better job of meeting the need than ever before.”
Pulling elaborated that the United States Department of Agriculture, a major contributor to food banks, more than doubled the amount of food it provided during this time. This growth in philanthropic and government support led the food insecurity rate in Colorado to drop from 9.8 percent in 2019 to 8.3 percent in 2020.
Unfortunately, post-pandemic food insecurity increased rapidly as inflation increased and federal support declined. The most recent data on food insecurity rates in Colorado show a 10-year high at 12.7 percent.
Current Challenges
The most critical concern Pulling observes in food insecurity is the interconnectedness with other basic needs:
“Food insecurity is not a standalone issue. With it comes a host of other complications, like the inability to maintain housing or employment, and kids struggling to thrive and consistently attend school.”
Pulling also highlighted the cycle of negative health outcomes related to food insecurity. When families cannot access nutritious food, they are more likely to experience adverse health outcomes and higher medical expenses. This financial strain then increases food insecurity, perpetuating the cycle.
Regional Trends
Food insecurity varies across the state’s rural and urban regions. Though food production is critical to the economies of many rural communities, food insecurity rates are higher in rural areas compared to urban areas at 12 percent and 9.3 percent, respectively. According to the Colorado Health Institute, these trends are caused by income disparities between urban and rural areas as well as greater travel distances to access food in many rural communities.
Metro Denver’s food insecurity rates are on the rise as well as the cost of living increases. Pulling noted the gap between Denver’s rent costs and wage increases is the largest of any U.S. city in the last 15 years: “Wages are not keeping pace with the cost of living, causing an increased need in the Denver metro area.”
Though there are regional differences in reliable access to nutritious food, the statistics for Colorado are sobering with one in eight Coloradans, and one in seven kids experiencing food insecurity.
Demographic-Tailored Solutions
Some demographics experience higher rates of food insecurity than others. Pulling emphasized children/families, older adults, veterans, and communities of color are disproportionately affected by this issue. According to the Colorado Health Institute, 22.2 percent of black Coloradans and 14 percent of Hispanic/Latinx Coloradans are food insecure, compared to 7.7 percent of white Coloradans.
Food Bank of the Rockies has several programs tailored to serve these specific communities. Its Everyday Eats program makes food easily accessible to older adults through delivery or centralized pickup locations, children are served through afterschool and summer meals programs, and the Culturally Responsive Food Initiative aims to make food more appropriate and accessible to diverse communities with specific dietary needs.
Solutions and Philanthropy
Pulling sees multiple innovative solutions in food insecurity and re-emphasized the importance of personal and large-scale philanthropy in addressing the issue. One program Pulling is particularly excited about is Food Bank of the Rockies’ Food for Health program, which partners with healthcare providers to deliver nutrient-dense food, recipes, and nutritional education to people experiencing food insecurity and chronic health issues. This program studies health outcomes of participants as food is a significant social determinant of health and can be a low-cost intervention.
According to Pulling, philanthropy is essential in continuing to address food insecurity and encourage innovative solutions: “With around 24,000 volunteers throughout the year and the financial gifts we receive from donors, we can get three meals out the door with every philanthropic dollar we receive.”
Pulling highlighted the importance of donors investing in infrastructure that builds efficiency for large-scale operations like Food Bank of the Rockies, while continuing to balance the needs of their constituent communities.
