Serving the community since 1926
WEEK OF MAY 9, 2024
VOLUME 97 | ISSUE 23
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BY MEGAN VERLEE AND CCM STAFF
than an elementary school, the kids can be a lot more responsible for that kind of thing. It allows the students to take on a sort of adulting role. There is a sense of pride there.” Giving Grocery recently celebrated its10-year anniversary, but now, however, the program is in jeopardy of significantly restricting its help to the community. The 501c3 organization’s grant funding was cut by 60%, leaving organizers and volunteers concerned for the future of the program.
One month ago, newsrooms across the state, including ours, launched an ambitious project: invite the people of Colorado to tell us what they want politicians to talk about in this election, and use their answers to help guide the stories we tell. So far, more than 3,100 people from around the state have responded to that call and filled out the Voter Voices survey. About 100 of the respondents are readers of Colorado Community Media’s two dozen metro area newspapers. What should candidates for public office focus on this year? “Their integrity, work ethic, and vision for our country or the entity they will be representing,” said Mindy Mohr, a reader from Arvada. Mohr listed “democracy and good government” as a top concern, with abortion and the economy/cost of living as important issues as well. The Coloradans who filled out our survey so far make it clear they want politicians to discuss issues like the environment, housing affordability, immigration, health care and education. In Walsh, on the southeastern plains, a shortage of health care workers is a driving concern for Rita Hetrick. She runs the long-term care facility in the town of roughly 540 people. Instead of drawing on a local workforce, she relies on pricey staffing agencies. “We don’t have a stream of cash that’s just available when you’re a small, rural facility.” Hetrick told Voter Voices that state and federal regulations exacerbate the problem and it’s something she wants to see politicians tackle. Many have also written about their concerns for our democracy itself.
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A student shopper chooses some refrigerated and dairy products available at the Denver South High School’s Giving COURTESY OF THE DENVER SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL GIVING GROCERY Grocery.
The local food pantry that serves students had its funding cut by 60% BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO THE DENVER HERALD
For the past 10 years, Denver South High School has been home to the Giving Grocery, a nonprofit organization that serves as a weekly food pantry for the school’s students and their families. Through grant funding and
generous donations from the Washington Park community and throughout Denver , the Giving Grocery serves more than 200 students and their families each Thursday afterschool. It is a fullservice, choice-model food pantry that provides food and personal items. “Many of the students report that we are their family’s primary food source,” said Jen Frankel, organizer of the Giving Grocery. “We really try to get the kids coming in on a weekly basis with what their families need and it works out. Being a high school rather
VOICES: 8 | LIFE: 10 | CALENDAR: 13
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