(CENTENNIAL, COLO.) Centura Health, in partnership with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission, and Hunger Free Colorado, will sponsor Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center’s Free Summer Food Give-Away in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood at 2836 Welton Street on Saturday, June 5 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
The free distribution of health-focused, shelf-stable foods will be donated by Centura Health and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission, and prepared lunches will also be provided. Information booths will connect families to additional food resources to stretch food budgets and support health all year long.
According to Hunger Free Colorado’s recent survey, nearly two in five (38 percent) of Coloradans are food insecure, meaning they lack reliable access to nutritious food. This is the highest rate reported since the start of COVID-19. While parents and people of color face higher rates of food insecurity, Colorado often ranks among the lowest states in the percentage of eligible families enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps).
“Even before COVID-19, Centura Health identified food insecurity as a key priority in our mission to nurture the health of the people in our communities, and the pandemic has only heightened the need,” said Dr. Oswaldo Grenardo, Centura Health Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, who is also a family physician. “By partnering with these essential organizations, we aim to provide hope to Denver residents who may be struggling to put healthy food on the table for their families.”
"It is wonderful being part of a partnership where individuals, corporations and organizations are coming together to ensure food is available for everyone,” said Brother Jeff Fard, owner of Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center and Café. “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that everyone can find themselves on the receiving side of kindness and goodwill."
Ahead of the event, Brother Jeff will host a conversation about hunger with Hunger Free Colorado’s Chief Executive Officer Marc Jacobson and Dr. Grenardo on his Facebook Live show Tuesday, May 11th at 2:00 p.m.
On Saturday, June 5, Hunger Free Colorado will be onsite at the Free Summer Food Give-Away to provide information about food assistance programs and give hands-on enrollment assistance for SNAP and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Additional community partners will provide information about the Summer Meal Program, Double Up Food Bucks Program and provide education about healthy eating and meal planning.
"We're excited to be a part of the Free Summer Food Give-Away," said Marc Jacobson, CEO of Hunger Free Colorado. "The last year has been challenging for Coloradans across our state, and we have seen a stark rise in hunger. This is a great opportunity to share much needed food resources with the community."
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About Centura Health
Centura Health connects individuals, families and neighborhoods across Colorado, Utah and western Kansas with more than 6,000 physicians and 21,000 of the best hearts and minds in health care. Through our 17 hospitals, two senior living communities, health neighborhoods, physician practices and clinics, home care and hospice services, and Flight For Life® Colorado, we are making the region’s best health care accessible and affordable in every community we serve. We believe you can inspire the people you care about to live healthier lives by encouraging them to do the little things that can make a big difference. We’re Centura Health, and we’re here for your health. For information on Centura Health or any of the facilities in our network, please visit Centura Health website.
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