Thanks To Volunteers And Generous Neighbors
They Are The Backbone Of The Work We Do
By Sierra Fleenor
Executive Director, GPHC
2018 is off to a great start and here at GPHC we are filled with gratitude for everyone who makes our work possible.
Thank you to our volunteers who have helped us sort, shelve, and distribute a remarkable amount of food over the last few months through our Food Pantry and Weekend Food Program. We are always grateful for each and every one of you and know that we could not do this important work without you.
I’d especially like to thank our volunteers who show up week after week, month after month. You are the backbone of our food programs.
We’d also like to thank our volunteers with Greater Park Hill News. If you’re holding a newspaper that was delivered to your door, you have our bundling and blockworker volunteers to thank. A stalwart group of volunteers comes to GPHC monthly to bundle newspapers for blockworkers to then distribute to homes and businesses across our neighborhood, and beyond.
I’d also like to thank our board of directors – all of whom are volunteers – for their work helping us gear up for a new year. Their time spent balancing and reviewing the budget, building excitement for our work, and helping develop fundraisers is a huge gift and I appreciate their time and energy.
Always looking for friendly faces
We are always looking for new volunteers for our food programs, newspaper, and special events. We have various types of opportunities, with a whole range of commitments. If you’re looking for ways to get involved in your community, please consider pitching in with GPHC. Volunteering is a lot of fun, plus you get to know other folks in the neighborhood.
Last month we received several special donations from organizations, including Food Bank of the Rockies and the Park Hill Golf Course. Neighborhood faith communities and neighbors have also continued to donate regularly to our food pantry, which has allowed us to continue operating even after the big push around Thanksgiving.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who has made a donation to GPHC, whether in-kind or financially. All donations to GPHC are tax-deductible and help us keep our programs up and running.
Thanks to KindColorado for their unique fundraiser to benefit the Weekend Food Program. KindColorado had their clients, employees and owners of dispensaries in Denver, purchase items that can be used for the Weekend Food Program, such as mac ‘n’ cheese and individual containers of applesauce. These items were priced at a donation level and GPHC received both the physical food items and the monetary donation. It was a very successful fundraiser and will help keep the Weekend Food Program going.
Additionally, a big thank you goes to 10-year-old Olivia who, according to a note we received with a donation, “wanted people to give her food for Christmas to give to someone in need.” Thank you Olivia for your generosity and for sharing your abundance with our clients.
What we need
The Food Pantry and Weekend Food Program continue to need specific donations. For our food pantry we currently need hygiene products, including men’s deodorant, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothbrushes, shaving cream, and razors. We distribute both regular size and travel size hygiene items. We also need toilet paper and paper towels.
For food, we need canned fruit, fruit in jars, canned meats (especially tuna, salmon, Vienna sausages, etc.), corn, and black-eyed peas. We can also distribute fresh and frozen items, so please feel free to donate those as you have them.
Our clients rarely have access to meat through our pantry, so donations of fresh or frozen meat are always appreciated. Many of our clients have pets, so we need dry dog food and wet and dry cat food.
For the weekend food program we currently need individually wrapped cereal bars, individual servings of instant oatmeal, individual cereal bowls, and regular size boxes of “kid friendly” cereals.
Please remember that we cannot distribute expired items, so please check your cans before bringing them to GPHC. We can only distribute items dated 2018 or later.
Donations can be made at GPHC’s office (2823 Fairfax St.) Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. We also accept donations of non-perishable items at the Park Hill Branch Library and Cake Crumbs during their regular business hours.
If you have any questions about what we do, what we need, or how to get involved with GPHC as a volunteer or donor, check out our website at greaterparkhill.org. You can also give us a call at 303-388-0918, or stop by our office Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thanks to the following volunteers:
Barb Cavender
Claudia Fields
Harold Fields
Tas Frashure
Trevor Hayes
Adrienne Hill
Noni Horwitz
Erika Hutyra
Rod Leman
Debra Lovell
Shannon McCure
Chuck Nelson
Mike Quigley
Alison Rabinoff
Peggy Roberts
Mary Salsich
Tammi Scroggins
Heather Shulman
Shane Sutherland
Maddy Todd
Sue Weinstein
Donna Westmoreland
Carol White
Jeannie Willis
Donations
Ellen Bennett
C Benoit
Susan Bradley
Jenny Dyer
Alexis Gallione
Ellen McGinnis
Susan Merten
Harriet Mullaney
Naylor
John Neal
Susan Neal
Karen Timmons
Bob Trommeter
Anita Wagner
Helen Wolcott
Judy Wolfe
Olivia (age 10)
AARP #995 – Queen City of the Rockies
Blessed Sacrament
Brandon J Scott Photography
Cake Crumbs and Patrons
Cure D’ Ars
Denver Food Rescue
Food Bank of the Rockies
Kearney Garage
KindColorado
Mary Gerwin Real Estate, LLC
Messiah Community Church
Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church
Nina Kuhl Real Estate LLC
Park Hill Congregational
Park Hill Elementary School
Park Hill Golf Club and Patrons
Park Hill Library and Patrons
Park Hill United Methodist
Patrons of DANK Dispensary
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Team Hetterich
Wyszynski & Associates, Inc