Jeffco Eats looks for more donations to help feed children

Organization feeds 600 children a week

Volunteers pack food for Jeffco Eats. The organization feeds around 600 children a week in Jefferson County.

Joseph Rios
jrios@coloradocommunitymedia.com

As the end of the school year quickly approaches, some families face the fear of how they will feed their children. Often times, children receive two meals a day from school, but once the school year ends so too do those meals.

Enter Jeffco Eats, a nonprofit organization that feeds 400 children a week. It also won a Lakewood Mayor’s Inspiration Award for the work it has done in the community. The nonprofit organization, which serves Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Edgewater and Arvada, is participating in Jeffco Public School’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a program that provides free nutritious meals to children 18 years and younger during the summer.

Jeffco Eats will provide weekend food to those who participate in the program, and it is asking for a helping hand from the community. You can donate by visiting drop off locations around Lakewood.

“These people go to work one, or two jobs a week, and they just don’t have enough to support their families. They just don’t make enough money to cover rent, food and insurance,” said Barbara Moore, executive director for Jeffco Eats.

Jenna Dinnell, a Lakewood resident, has two children who are in first and sixth grade, and she gets paid once a month. The time in between paychecks can make things difficult, but Jeffco Eats has helped her before.

“Who doesn’t need help nowadays? If I can’t afford a dinner for my family, I know I can count on the food bag (from Jeffco Eats),” said Dinnell.

According to Jefferson County Public Health, 26,441 students enrolled in Jeffco Public Schools grades preschool through 12th are eligible for free and reduce lunch.

“When our students are no longer in school, they are lacking the option of two meals a day. It’s really important that (Jeffco Eats) is concerned about the food needs that our students have,” said Andrea Syko, Emory Elementary School’s family engagement liaison. Emory Elementary School is located in Lakewood.

Keywords

Jeffco eats, Lakewood Colorado, Jeffco Public School’s Summer Food Service Program, Emory Elementary School, Joseph Rios