Metro CareRing sees demand for food, services mushroom

Client loads rise as much as 60% over last autumn

By Bill Gallo, Special to the Rocky

Published November 22, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Photo by Ken Papaleo / The Rocky

Volunteers John Thunderhawk, right, and Sue Hoogstrate fill orders last week at Metro CareRing, 1100 E. 18th Ave. The pantry will assist a projected 35,000 individuals this year.

For 34 years, Metro CareRing has supplied food from its North Capitol Hill pantry.

The agency also provides utility-bill assistance, identification documents, bus tokens and work tools and work boots for job seekers. In 2006, it opened a Saturdays-only branch in Aurora, at Lima Street and East Colfax Avenue.

In this interview, Metro CareRing executive director Jonathan Holmer talks about increased demands on the agency in the face of tough economic conditions.

These are hard times. What new stresses are you feeling?

This fall, we're seeing huge client loads: 20, 30 even 60 percent increases over the same months last year. In September, we saw a 60 percent higher load. Same trend so far in October. So we run out of funding much more quickly for our basic services. Another pressing issue: much more demand for ID documentation. Under new government guidelines, more people need birth certificates and Colorado ID cards to qualify for assistance programs.

How do you cope? Any new creative strategies?

Unfortunately, we have to do more with less - or the same. We've held the line on staff, our volunteer base is steady, and our contributions haven't dropped. But the crunch really hurts. We are trying to access as many donors as we can for our food because our supplies are going out faster and faster. We're having to purchase more food, which we did not do in the past.

Have your clients tried to adapt, tighten their belts?

What we're seeing, especially in our utility assistance program, is that people are doubling up more - children are moving in with their parents, parents are doing more child care and people who've had their homes foreclosed are moving in together and trying to leverage their resources.

What's the prognosis look like?

It looks really bad for the coming year. Given what's already happened, I can't imagine what 2009 will be like. I see no quick turnaround. We also see our corporate sponsors trying to stretch their resources. For example, we used to get a lot of produce from them, good produce, but now it looks like they're hanging on to stuff longer. There's just less and less surplus from corporate sponsors.

If you woke up tomorrow in an ideal world, what would your budget look like?

Last year, we distributed 600,000 pounds of food; this year, we'll likely need 750,000 pounds. I think $800,000 would be enough to serve all our present clients, but, of course, more people would then be coming through our doors. We take walk-ins and appointments, and the way it is now in the mornings, with the length of the line out the door, we often have to turn away walk-ins because we're at capacity so early.

How to donate

Post-News Season to Share, a McCormick Foundation Fund, gave more than $2.1 million last year to 65 agencies serving disadvantaged children, as well as people who are hungry, homeless or in need of medical care. Donations are matched at 50 cents for each dollar, and 100 percent of all donations, plus the match, go directly to local nonprofit agencies.

To donate:

call 1-800-518-3972 or go to seasontoshare.com.

Metro CareRing

* Mission: The city's largest food pantry provides direct services for low-income families and individuals in Denver and surrounding counties.

* Year founded: 1974

* People helped: A projected 35,000 individuals in 2008, up from 31,000 last year

* Staff: 5

* Volunteers: 180

* Budget: $600,000

* Web site: metro carering.org

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