Community Food Share

Community Food Share is a food bank fighting hunger in Boulder and Broomfield Counties by providing access to fresh, nutritious food through local partners and its onsite and mobile pantries.

In the early 1980s, hunger had not yet been identified as a community problem. But, when Boulder County Safehouse, the Community Action Program, Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA), St. Thomas Aquinas Food Bank, and the Salvation Army of Longmont came together and compared anecdotal stories and statistics, it became clear that, indeed, hunger was a pressing issue in our community. Discussion among these five agencies soon centered on how to address the issue of hunger locally, and it was determined that a food bank, modeled after Food Bank of the Rockies, would serve this purpose.

Community Food Share was created as a non-profit organization in 1981, receiving a seed grant from what is now Mile High United Way, and became an affiliate of America’s Second Harvest (now called Feeding America). Originally operating under the umbrella of Food Bank of the Rockies, Community Food Share began operations in a space at EFAA’s ECHO House Emergency Shelter. Kathy Coyne was hired as the sole staff member of this new organization. Shortly thereafter, the City of Boulder offered space, for only $1 a year, in a city-owned building on 13th Street. Immediately, Community Food Share began collecting and distributing food to 18 human service agencies in Boulder County.

Raising awareness became a top priority of this fledgling organization. Kathy Coyne began speaking to civic organizations, members of the community and really “anyone who would listen,” discussing the facts about hunger in Boulder County. Step-by-step, Kathy succeeded in engaging the community in the problem. By the end of 1981, after operating for only six months, Community Food Share had distributed 48,000 pounds of food.

In the early 1980s, food banks were still a relatively new concept across the United States and most, if not all, were located in large metropolitan areas. Due to its smaller size, Community Food Share was able to be more innovative in creating new programs to solve the issue of hunger in our community. That innovative spirit, combined with the support of our loyal volunteers, financial supporters, and food donors, has carried Community Food Share through the victories they celebrate today.