Janette Keene Taylor, Nederland.   The Nederland Food Pantry has been around for 30 years. It was started by two women who were worried that their friends and neighbors were going hungry now and then. They literally hauled flats of canned food in their cars from one church to the other, since they could store at one and distribute at another. Judy Anderson and Chris Current did this twice monthly for a couple of decades.

Unfortunately, we lost Judy last year, but Chris continues as the executive director of what is a substantially expanded and highly influential Food Pantry. Six years ago, the Food Pantry formed a board of directors. Other features that are now a part of the Nederland Food Pantry include management of the Community Clothing Closet, which was originally started by local moms, not unlike Judy and Chris, worried about their friends and neighbors, as well as the Pantry Gardens and the Human Services “mini-fair” that takes place the last Thursday of every month, bringing human services from Boulder County and non-profits such as EFAA, and therapists from Peak to Peak Counseling to mountain folk in one compact time and place.

Who qualifies for the Nederland Food Pantry? You must live in the Peak to Peak Region: Gilpin and Western Boulder Counties, as well as a bit of Jefferson and Larimer in Coal Creek Canyon and Allenspark areas, respectively. Therefore, if you live in Ward, Raymond, Jamestown, Gold Hill, Rollinsville and the surrounding unincorporated areas, this is your Food Pantry. Do note that there are food pantries in Allenspark, Ward and Black Hawk; it is up to you to decide how to handle your community choices.

To show that you qualify for the Nederland Food Pantry, you need to bring some proof of residency: the best thing is a lease, a letter from your landlord, a utility bill that shows your physical address. You will be asked: how many people in your household are you directly responsible for feeding (i.e. not roommates. This needs to be your family, spouse or significant other, children, parents who are living with you, etc.), your name and address, your phone number in case we need to contact you regarding a food issue, such as a recall. That’s all. We will ask you non-required questions that we use for grant information, such as whether you are a veteran, are a United Power customer, and sometimes transportation or housing questions to increase our knowledge about our clients.

What kind of food is available? The Nederland Food Pantry “shops” at Community Food Share, a warehouse in Lafayette to which we pay an annual fee. The food that we distribute will depend upon what is available from Community Food Share and other sources that we arrange, such as grocery stores and other food sharing agencies. For example, we don’t always have bread. Some days we have LOTS of bread. Going to a Food Pantry is a bit of “pot luck.”

However, the Nederland Food Pantry is particularly sensitive to their clients and provide a shelf of “medically restricted diet” options, something many Pantries do not. One of the reasons behind opening up the Food Pantry for additional client visits in a month is the availability of fresh produce, from the garden and other sources. Eating fresh fruit and vegetables on a regular basis are essential to the health of all, young and old.

How often should I come to the Pantry? We are open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to Noon, the First and Last Thursday from 10 a.m. to Noon and the recently introduced evening hours from 6 to 7 p.m. on the First Thursday of the month. While the Pantry used to ask our clients to only come in once per month, the housing shortage and extremely high rent costs in our area have caused many families to have to choose between paying their rent and eating. Therefore, if you are in need, you are welcome to the come to the Pantry on an “as needed” basis. We just ask that people not take advantage. There is a basis of trust.

A few other features of the Nederland Food Pantry: we not only have vegetables growing throughout the Nederland Community Center that we distribute to our clients, but we also administer the Community Gardens in town, behind the Deli/Mountain People’s Coop. The Clothing Closet is open the same hours as the Food Pantry for people to find needed clothing, and for locals to donate their unwanted clothing. The Human Services Fair is always on the last Thursday of the month, from 10 a.m. to Noon, where you can sign up for SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, childcare assistance, financial counseling and much more.

The holidays are a special time for the Food Pantry. In November (this year it was November 10) we distribute Thanksgiving supplemental food bags and $5 gift certificates for B&F. In December (this year December 8) is a massive Holiday Food Box, Clothing and Toy distribution. Volunteers are always welcome to help with this large project, with set up the afternoon of the 7th, and distribution the morning of the 8th.

If you have any more questions about the Nederland Food Pantry, please visit nederlandfoodpantry.org, or contact us at 720-418-0892.

(Originally published in the November 22, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)