If you have never had to navigate the process of reaching out for help from some of the social safety nets we have here in Colorado. It can be a daunting and confusing process. One that has left many to just give up hope for getting help.

That is beginning to change a little. One of the organizations leading the charge of the change is the Food Bank for Larimer County. Some of those changes turn out to be a silver lining of the COVID Pandemic.

The Trail-Gazette spoke with Maddie Breza, the Outreach Coordinator, and Daysi Sweaney, the Outreach Manager for the Food Bank. “The state authorizes us to provide application assistance of government benefits. What we do is help people apply for benefits without the need to go into a county office.” Says Sweany.

“We can help people complete online applications or by phone. The goal is to help navigate the hurdles that people encounter when applying for benefits.” Breezy adds.

Having access to the state systems allows applicants to be helped in filling out the applications either online or by phone. This is a quick application process where advocates gather essential information from applicants taking around 10-20 minutes. They focus on SNAP food benefits and assist with other benefits such as Medicaid, cash assistance, and LEAP.

The Food Bank helps on average 150 – 200 families in a given month with these services, and they are doing more than just signing people up. This is an ongoing process that will help to remind and re-certify people via texts, phone calls, and emails to re-certify people when it is time. This helps to ensure that help continues to be available over time.

“The best part of our job is the relationships we have built with people in the community.

Both Breza and Sweany say the main goal is to make the process as easy as possible. Demand for help has been so high that the Food Bank recently launched a new 1-800 number and added a new scheduling tool to their website to help schedule new applicants.

“The best part of our job is the relationships we have built with people in the community. We are being recognized in the community, and word of mouth is spreading. That is open of the most rewarding parts of the job to us.” Says Sweany

Maddie adds,” It’s pretty easy advocating for SNAP. It is such a good program that is proven to help get people out of poverty. Allowing them to use the money they save on food elsewhere in the local economies.”

Some of these new application options are due because of the state COVID waivers that will be expiring soon. But there is hope that some may become permanent.

The Food Bank is planning on doing some in-person outreach in the Estes Valley soon, and have a preliminary meeting in the Estes Park next Monday and have just added a third employee to the staff.

Services are also available in Spanish and English, both over the phone and on their website.

You can connect to the Food Bank of Latimer County either by calling their helpline: 1(877) 707-8570

Or via their website: www.foodbankLarimer.org.

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