The Gilpin County commissioners introduced the newest vehicle in the County fleet on June 6, 2024, at the Gilpin Food Pantry as they accepted a 2023 Ford F150 from the Colorado Community Health Alliance (CCHA).

The truck, with 1,100 miles on the odometer and a customized rack for the back, will be used for obtaining and delivering supplies for the Gilpin Food Pantry.

CCHA is a Medicaid partner, with grant funding available to help alleviate food insecurity concerns in the county. Hunger and food insecurity were identified as an elevated concern in the county based on the results of the Gilpin County Community Health Survey.

The Gilpin County Commissioners unanimously approved accepting the grant and the truck at their March 12 meeting. Resolution 24-59 stated that the commissioners authorized accepting the grant offered by CCHA to purchase the vehicle for the Food Pantry, for an amount not to exceed $55,000. CCHA paid $50,000 for the truck and then used the remaining funds to customize it, including signage.

While the truck was completely paid for with the grant, annual insurance and maintenance costs are estimated to be around $4,000 and will be paid for by the County.

A key feature of the new truck is a customized slide-out rack which will allow volunteers and County employees to load and unload the truck without having to crawl into the back. The rack can hold up to 1,400 pounds of food.

Food Pantry Supervisor Jennifer Josselyn said that the truck will be used by County employees to get food from Food Bank of the Rockies and other resources. The Food Pantry is also planning on using the truck as a “pop-up” market in Rollinsville about once a quarter.

The Gilpin County website has more information about the Food Pantry under the Human Services main webpage. Contact Corinne Keller at 720-432-610 or CKeller@gilpincounty.org for Food Pantry volunteer opportunities. For additional readings on the subject, use the Internet search term: How food banks combat hunger around the world.