Clients
Our clients are your neighbors; Low income families with children, the "working poor", disabled residents, seniors, low income individuals with a chronic illness, teens at risk, the mentally ill and the homeless.
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According to the last census estimate, 9% of the population of Boulder & Broomfield County live at or below the federal poverty line. The poverty line for a family of three is a mere $16,090 a year. Those living at this income level are at risk of not having enough food.
CFS helps the working poor make ends meet by providing food and non-food supplies so that the money otherwise spent on these items can be diverted to other necessities.
People on fixed incomes, such as seniors on social security, face additional problems. The cost of medications and medical bills often use up a great portion of their income.
The hard reality is that we cannot eliminate poverty. But with the community's support, we can help more people and distribute more food each year. We are the safety net that helps people when they must choose between rent or health care, and food.
According to statistics released December 2005 by the Boulder County Civic Forum, a single adult with 2 preschool children would need to $52,919 a year to be self-sufficient in Boulder County. A fulI-time job at minimum wage , with tax credits, earns $14,000.
The average hourly wage for service occupations is $9.12 per hour ($19,000 per year), and $11.02 per hour for clerical jobs.
The average cost for a two-bedroom apartment in Boulder County is $10,000 per year.
It is easy to see the dilemma low-wage workers face.
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Letter to CFS from a family;
I cannot tell you in this short email how much it helped the other day to be able to come in and pick up food for my family. My children now are eating cereal and warm breakfast. We needed that boost so desperately. My husband is back at work and we are slowly picking back up to speed. It's amazing how quickly you can get behind when you have an unexpected crisis like we did with the loss of our child. I hope to be able to repay the kindness you have shown to me by volunteering or bringing in food. Thank you again!!! |
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The face of hunger in Boulder & Broomfield Counties. Local statistics derived from the hunger study indicate that:
- The median household income of those seeking food assistance is $800/month
- 70% of the population we serve are families with children, and they are food insecure (meaning that there is limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate food)
- 35% of the population we serve are low-income seniors
- 28% of clients had to choose between paying for food and paying for medications or medical care
For more information, please see the press release and the guest editorial. |
It always brightens our day when we get a letter of thanks from one of our many constituents. It reminds us how valuable the work we do is, and that it does make a difference in the lives of those in need in our community. Following is a sampling of some recent correspondence. You can see the positive impact your donations of money, food and volunteer hours are making !
Letter from a Feeding Families client
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