Boulder County’s already-stressed agencies and organizations helping neighbors suffering food insecurity suffered a major blow in March when the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut funding that paid farmers to grow food for schools and also delayed deliveries of already scheduled emergency food.
"The Local Food for Schools (LFS) and Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LPFA) programs brought more than $14 million to Colorado’s local food economy over the last two years," KUNC's Rae Solomon reported. "Another $13 million dollars was slated for this year, before both initiatives were discontinued by the Trump administration."
We generally focus on hunger later in the year, but consider volunteering, donating food or cash to — or organizing a drive for — the organizations below.
The largest local hunger agency, Community Food Share, is holding an all-day food donation drive April 12 at King Soopers stores in Gunbarrel (6550 Lookout Road), Louisville (1375 E South Boulder Road) and Broomfield (12167 Sheridan Blvd.)
Bring non-perishable food items to donate. Or sign up to volunteer: communityfoodshare.volunteerhub.com
Boulder County food pantries
- Emergency Family Assistance Association: efaa.org
- Sister Carmen Community Center: sistercarmen.org
- Boulder Food Rescue: boulderfoodrescue.org
- Longmont Food Rescue: longmontfoodrescue.org
- Harvest of Hope Pantry: hopepantry.org
- Community Food Share: communityfoodshare.org
- Nederland Food Pantry: nederlandfoodpantry.org
- OUR Center: ourcenter.org
Boulder County gardeners can join Community Food Share’s Grow a Row program and plan to harvest for the food agency, or simply donate excess produces this summer. Details: communityfoodshare.org/community-roots
Local Food News: Dumplings, birria, ramen and poke
Longmont’s eatery boom continues with the opening of Colorado Dumplings at 332 Main St. in the Old Town Marketplace, also home to Abuelita’s Empanadas. Birrieria Doña Maria is open at 1950 Main St., dishing Jalisco-style goat and beef birria plus menudo, chile relleno burritos, seafood molcajete and oysters with ceviche.
In Boulder restaurant news…
- Salt, 1047 Pearl St., is closed indefinitely following a kitchen fire on March 31.
- Jing Ramen is open at 650 28th St, Boulder, former site of Rakkan Ramen.
- Edwin Zoe has opened Pearl Poke at 2010 10th St., formerly Zoe Ma Ma, serving various kinds of poke as well as a cool treat: pineapple whip.
Culinary Calendar: Earth Day food events
The inaugural Food Waste Prevention Week, April 7-13, is a national effort to reduce wasted food on farms, in markets and at home. It supports the environment and farmers, saves residents money and reduces local food insecurity. Details and ideas: foodwastepreventionweek.com
Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit national sustainability effort, is partnering with restaurants to launch Unfork the Planet, April 21-27. For one week, restaurants are asked to spotlight one climate-smart dish. Details: zerofoodprint.org/unfork
Jill’s Restaurant hosts its annual Earth Day Vegan Dinner on April 22. Menu features local ingredients in dishes like Tuscan ribollita soup and mushroom and potato hash. Reservations: stjulien.com.
John Lehndorff is the exhibit historian for Boulder Eats! opening in November at the Museum of Boulder. Comments: nibbles@boulderweekly.com