FOOD FOR…
Hunger for None.
Fifty years ago, hunger took root in our community. Government nutrition programs nearly ended hunger in the 60s, but cuts and neglect to public benefits brought hunger back into everyday life.
Fifty years ago, five organizations came together to create Metro Caring (then the Central Denver Community Services). Their goal: keep nutritious, fresh, and local food on the table for everyone in our community.
From 12 families to 1,000 a week, we’ve grown to meet our community’s needs to have food for all. But today, 1 in 9 Coloradans are hungry. We’ve learned that traditional food pantries don’t solve hunger long-term.
Now, we’re more prepared than ever to uproot hunger. We have a full team of organizers, public support for anti-hunger policies, and research to reshape the food system–plus thousands of volunteers and community leaders.
It’s time for 50 years of hunger for none.
50 Ways to Celebrate 50 Years
Our movement to end hunger will take all of us, contributing our unique talents, skills, and perspectives. Get involved with 50 unique activities. Track your involvement to receive special prizes!
The form will require logging in so that you can track your progress. You can use an existing Google account or create a new one.
Idea #1
Bring a friend who has never volunteered at Metro Caring before.
Idea #2
Subscribe to our Action Alerts to stay informed on policies and take action on legislative issues.
Idea #3
Join The Greenhouse by setting up a monthly donation of any size!
Our History & Future
Know what was happening in the 80s? Help fill in our records. Have a vision 2050? Add your idea to the future timeline. Or, share a story about your connection to Metro Caring!
Metro Caring
50 Years
June 13, 1974
Metro Caring, then Central Denver Community Service, is founded.
Five downtown churches—Central Presbyterian, St. Paul’s Lutheran, First Baptist, Trinity United Methodist, St. Paul’s United Methodist—saw a growing need in the community and hoped to offer a mode adequate and professional response. We begin in Central Presbyerian Church on 17th and Sherman, and later move to Travelers Aid on 14th and Pennsylvania, where we hire our first full-time staff.
1982
Central Denver Community Service begins advocating for community members who were denied food stamp benefits.
Staff and volunteers began monitoring food stamp officers in Denver. In three months, we helped 5,000 people who were illegally denied food stamps receive their benefits. We recommend creating a watchdog program and lobbying group.
1983
The federal food stamp program faced major budget cuts and prohibited using federal funds for outreach.
Under the Reagan administration, major legislation in the early 80s enacted cutbacks including eliminate all forms of outreach that had been part of foodstamp programs for many years. As a result, Central Denver Community Services records that 35% of our community that were eligible for food stamps were unaware of being eligible.