Food for all. Hunger for none.
50 Years of Metro Caring | Annual Report 2025
Food is a human right.
Everyone—regardless of race, gender, religion, nationality, income, or ability—needs nutritious, culturally relevant food to live happy, healthy lives. We won’t accept that people should be content with leftovers in a state rich with local agriculture.
In a community survey, we asked what our community would eat more if money wasn’t an issue. Their top response: meat. So this year, we grew our procurement of meat directly from local ranchers—including BIPOC, women, and first generation producers. Ranchers are now raising whole cows for us, and our partners are even hosting fundraisers to purchase them. This creates substantial income for small ranchers and hundreds of pounds of meat for our community.
To support this, we conducted 30 more interviews with local producers, adding them to our Local Food Procurement Catalog. This guide helps us buy the specific foods our community wants and needs. To truly have food for all, we must rethink the charitable food system and invest in a localized food ecosystem.
“I was so… grateful to link up with Metro Caring to sell this beef and my pork because I knew that I was raising animals in a way that I felt really good about. I wanted to make sure that not just my neighbors were getting this sustainable, healthy meat but…all kinds of people who might need it.”
– Rachael Woods, Woods Family Ranch
18
41%
of purchased food is local
$289
average cash value of market trip
31,857
Food for all.
Food for all of Denver.
We know that Metro Caring cannot reach everyone alone, but our warehouse and coolers are major assets. Our Food Access team relaunched our resource share program to offer food to ten other organizations already embedded in communities around the metro area. Our goal is to share food with communities that we have a harder time reaching at our site and to support organizations who share our vision for ending hunger.
Resource Share Partners:
- Commún via the Southwest Food Coalition
- Denver Community Fridges
- Denver Food Rescue
- Downtown Denver Islamic Center
- The Fax Partnership
- The Gathering Place
- Loyola Food Pantry
- Mutual Aid Monday
- Transgender Center of the Rockies
- We Don’t Waste
Community partnerships carry
Urban Agriculture forward.
In our Urban Agriculture program’s final year, we shared 10,250 plants and seed packets to over 4,000 community members through the Indoor Garden. We hosted 16 classes on topics ranging from seed saving to vermicomposting. We grew 550 pounds of food that went right into the Fresh Foods Market, and we supported the Humboldt Community Garden where 31 community members grew their own food.
We are so grateful for the incredible team members and volunteers who have contributed their time, care, and creativity to these programs over the years. We’re proud to announce that many of these urban agriculture initiatives will continue under the leadership of two long-time collaborators and trusted, community-rooted partners: Mo’ Betta Green and Urban Symbiosis. They bring a wealth of agricultural knowledge, strong local relationships, and a shared vision for food sovereignty and environmental stewardship.
Hunger for none.
Hunger is a policy choice.
To prevent it, we must invest in policies that guarantee a safe, affordable place to live with access to food, healthcare, and opportunities.
Inadequate healthcare is among our community’s top five root causes of hunger. That’s why they chose to support the Diabetes Prevention and Obesity Treatment Act during the 2025 legislative session. We took members of our Diabetes Among Friends class to the State Capitol to testify in support of the bill. Following their passionate stories, the bill successfully passed its first committee. It later became law, guaranteeing that group insurance plans cover pre-diabetes and obesity treatment in Colorado.
“I myself am almost seventy years old, so any benefit that comes from making this the law of the state… is almost certainly not going to happen soon enough to benefit me personally, but that doesn’t mean that I cannot give whatever I have so that others may be helped. This lit a fire in me.”
– Eric, Diabetes Among Friends graduate
State & Local Policy Wins
Our community chooses which ballot initiatives and state bills we endorse or oppose each season. Leaders gather to learn about the different issues, discuss and debate their effects, and then vote on which are most important for Metro Caring’s endorsement.
2024 Ballot Wins
PASSED
Proposition KK: Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax
FAILED*
Amendment 80: Constitutional Right to School Choice
PASSED
Referred Question 2T: Removing Citizenship Requirement for Police and Firefighters
PASSED
Ballot Issue 7A: RTD
*Metro Caring opposed this bill. The measure failing was a win for keeping local schools funded.
2025 Legislative Wins
PASSED
HB25-1274 Healthy School Meals for All Program
PASSED
SB25-048 Diabetes Prevention & Obesity Treatment Act
PASSED
HB25-1002 Medical Necessity Determination Insurance Coverage
PASSED
SB25-169 Restaurant Meals Program
The Voices We Need at the Table
In our inaugural Voices at the Table program, an evolution of our former spokesperson certification class, we invited community members to develop their leadership skills and lived experience with food insecurity into a powerful narrative to change unjust systems.
Throughout the fall, this group of passionate changemakers met weekly. Together, we explored how food insecurity isn’t simply a matter of scarcity. It’s a result of systemic issues that are deeply tied to policy, access, and power. Twelve storytellers learned community organizing tactics, how to practice self-care and mental wellness, how the state legislative process works, how to testify on legislation, and about the root causes of hunger.
“Getting to know and interact with the different experiences of many people…
it increased my confidence.”
– Keila, Voices at the Table graduate
“I learned I’m not alone.”
– Jessica, Voices at the Table graduate
“It was an enriching experience. I felt very confident to share my story.”
– Karina, Voices at the Table graduate
Uprooting hunger, together.
For 50 years,
Metro Caring has been a place where people come together across differences to make our community a healthier, more vibrant place. When we work in solidarity with community and each contribute the skills, time, and treasures that we can, our movement to end hunger grows.
1,869
1,024
new volunteers this year
3.3
million pounds of food sorted
“Metro Caring provides an excellent opportunity to volunteer and help community members experiencing hunger. The staff and volunteers are a pleasure to work with and have a passion to support Metro Caring’s mission. I enjoy every day I am here.”
– Pat, Warehouse Stocker
“The thing I enjoy most about volunteering with Metro Caring is the sense of community. Every week, I get to see volunteers go above and beyond to not only help people but make them feel welcome.”
– Rahul, Volunteer Lead
“Volunteering is amazing. And volunteering here is the epitome. We’re not just doing it for ourselves, but it does feel good to do it.”
-Elaine, ID Voucher Volunteer
Making Connections for a Stronger Economy
We also support local food entrepreneurs by sharing our kitchen and were happy to see many achieve milestones in their business ventures:
- Danette borrowed our kitchen and market pop-up supplies years ago to get her waffle business off the ground. This year, she opened her own storefront, Jazz Waffle Café.
- Andre, owner of DC E.A.T.S., secured a three-year state contract to cater weekly boxed lunches. He uses our kitchen a few times a week to prepare them.
- Elizabeth secured a spot at an indoor marketplace to sell desserts through her business, Alvarez Desserts.
Community Led Programs Makes for Healthier Lives
Ten years ago, Roberta was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The doctors immediately put her on medicine, but it didn’t work well for her.
Roberta said she learned the medicine wasn’t tested sufficiently in Black communities.
Attending our Diabetes Among Friends class helped Roberta connect with others who had similar experiences. She learned she wasn’t alone: her medication also didn’t work for other Black folks in class. The class is led by others with diabetes, which offers participants solutions that are more culturally relevant and a supportive environment with others who have experienced similar challenges. The class helped Roberta learn how to speak up and advocate for her needs. Now her medication and management plan are working better.
She also became a certified peer facilitator through the Scripps Diabetes Institute to teach others about navigating the disease.
“It doesn’t do no good just to keep the knowledge to myself,” Roberta says. “I don’t want to be the only person in the world. I want mates and friends. I spread knowledge. I don’t keep knowledge. And I want people to spread knowledge to me.”
946
11
trained peer facilitators
456
visits to Diabetes Among Friends Classes
387
visits to Baby Café
A Vision Taking Shape.
Affordable Housing at Metro Caring
At Metro Caring, we know that hunger and housing are deeply connected. That’s why we’re advancing a bold, community-rooted project that will add approximately 140 units of affordable housing to our site—while expanding our program space to better support health, dignity, and belonging.
Over the past year, our Community Advisory Board—made up of Metro Caring community leaders—has continued to guide the design of this transformational development. The vision centers trauma-informed design, sustainability, and maintains Metro Caring’s critical anti-hunger services.
A major milestone this year was securing competitive state funding through the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) Land Banking Program—a powerful endorsement of our vision and its impact. With these funds, we are purchasing the land directly south of our current site from a generous donor who originally acquired it on our behalf.
While the project will take several years to complete, it will not disrupt our existing operations or reduce access to food. Instead, it will grow our ability to meet immediate needs while addressing the root causes of hunger—making Metro Caring a national model for community-led solutions. This project is more than housing: It’s a blueprint for how communities can come together to address the root causes of hunger with equity, innovation, and care.
Thank you to our supporters
Every gift—whether financial or in-kind—helps nourish our community and fuel Metro Caring’s mission to end hunger at its root. We are proud to recognize all those who make this work possible, and to celebrate the generosity of our giving society members, whose sustained support drives long-term change.
Roots to Rise Society
$10,000-$24,999 per year
Gerald Forney and Irene Ludwig
Becca and Robert Reichenberger
$1,000-$9,999 per year
Richard Abels
Judith Ackerman and Jon Brause
Alan Arbuckle and Eric Cornejo
David Arnolds
Hartman Axley
Carol and John Balkcom
Kris and Elizabeth Barber
Colleen Barrett
Caroline H. Beavers
Mark Bell and Alex Katich
Bethany Lutheran Church
Jack and Natalie Blumenthal
Sarah Boulden and Scott Kitchens
Mike and Susan Boulden
Howard and Kathleen Brand
Susan Brodie and Mark Hall
Sarah Burns
Grace and Bill Carr
Central Presbyterian Church
Bryce Clark and Wil Smith
Nan Clydesdale
Sean and Sue Connelly
Patrick and Susan Corser
Bill and Rhonda Crossen
Kevin and Michelle Dempsey
Mary E Donahue
Jan and John Douglas
Gifford Dudley
Angèle Fauchier
Stuart Ferguson and Carolyn Welsh
Beth and Randall Ferguson
Jason and Molly Gaines
Dick and Deborah Galaty
Iris Gardner
Helen and Chris Gibson
The Gilson Family Foundation
Ray and Marcia Giske
Ernestine Gormsen
Don and Marianne Hamilton
Russell and Sue Haskell
Elizabeth and Timothy Hepp
Carolyn Hill
Adrianne Hipsher and Jason Davies
Doug and Jenny Hock
Nancy Hodges
Shelley and Brian Hook
Lisa and Warren Hughes
Janie and Ray Johnson
Milt Kahn and Betsy Herrick
Rick and Pat Kahn
Uli Keeley
Al and Sheryll Kraizer
Stephanie Krause and Pat Kelly
Nicole Lang
Charlie Lanigan
Law Offices of Ben Norton
Luke and Nicole Laydon
Ayelet and Michael Lehtman
Noel LeJeune and Lynn Callaway
Jennie and Kevin Lewis
Dave and Jennie Lock
Bob and Marty Longway
Katy and Greg Lunsford
Abigail Marsh
Nancy and Bobby Maynard
Kelly L. McCormick
Madeline McKeever
Nancy McMahon
Andrea and Tad Miller
Linda Mitchell and Ken Neeper
Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church
Peter and Mary Morin
Jay and Kim Morse
Robert Musgraves and Joan Prusse
Shen Nagel
Colin M. O’Brien
Mike and Jill Ogborn
Stefan M. Olander
The Parkers
Martha and Joseph Pofit
Ellen Reath and Craig Maginess
Ría Rivera Ramírez
Andy Robinson
Laurie and Chris Romer
Nicholas and Amy Rosevear
Megan Sawyer
Rhett Schweitzer
David and Jean Scott
Bethany Siekmeier
Jim and Chirl Sienicki
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Charles and Teri Steckly
Lisa Steffen and Juan DeJesus
Michele Stillwell-Parvensky and Ryan Tierney
Tom and Kris Stoever
Mel Stolzenburg and Rose Martinez
Stephen Strachan
Martha and Will Tracey
Bob and Shirley Traettino
Rick and Kim Turnage
Jamen Tyler
Lynn and Ralph Valentine
Jim and Lisa Van Someren
Ethan and Lauren Watel
Spiros Antoniadis and Barbara Wells
Meredith Wells and Therese Pocrnick
Krista and Dan Wesdyk
Lisa Whitesides
Brian and Lori Whitney
Janice and Chuck Woodward
Barbara Young
Devin Zatorski and Brad Barfield
The Greenhouse
Laurel Adler
Gary Allen
Meredith Alvey
Elisabeth Arenales
Jake Armstrong
Tim Baldwin
Margaret Banner
Mikaila and Michael Barton-Gawryn
Ria Bates
Jessica Baumgart
Jessica Bernfeld
Mary Ann Bindbeutel
Jill Boice
Katherine Wheeler Boyd
James Bright
Marjorie Britt
Douglas Burks
Michael Callahan
Andrea and Andrew Carpenter
Theresa Cashman
Bryce Clark & Wil Smith
Patricia and John Claypool
Lynn Cohen
Cheri and Richard Colter
Christina Comerford
Diccon Conant
Carema CookMasaud
Thomas Keyse and Jennifer Courtney-Keyse
David and Tammy Craven
Stephanie Cross
Michelle Desien
Dominic Dezzutti
Marla Digitale
Radina Dikova
Katherine Donato
Mr. & Mrs. Mark and Susanna Donato
Lindsey Dundas
Jenni and Ted Dyman
Margaret Ekstrand
Christy Elwell
Peter Ferguson
David Fifield
Herbert Fried
Gamboa Household
Paola Gascot-Chinea and Nicholas Crawford-Crudell
Ginny Gelbach
Karen Goldrick
Holly Gray
Kristen Gray
Sarah Grey
Lannea and Nathan Hand
Jillian Meissner and Patrick Hannon
Rachel Hanson
Anne Harris
Lynn Hawthorne
Shelby Healy
Andrea Helsel
Mr. & Mrs. William and Marilyn Henderson
Penny Sue Hollon
Gabrielle, Danette and Aubryone Hollowell and Vernon Ameen
Robert and Pam Hubbard
William Hughes
Janet Hukill
Sarah Hulslander
Catherine Hupp
Josiah Hutchinson
Graham Ignizio
Saletha Isaacson
Stephanie Jensen
Rebecca Johnson
Laurie Kepros
Samantha Kingston
David and Pamela Krause and Jonathan Blakley
Sandra B Landry
Carole and Geoffrey Lane
Mr. Mitch Lehn and Mrs. Kirsti Peterson
Zach and Ashley Leonard
Anitra Lesser
Kevin Lindahl
Cory Loney
Wesley Lorenzen
Amy Lorton
Kristine Lupoff
Laura MacKenzie
Linda Mallory
Seth McCarus
McKilip Household
Stu and Gina Mesnier
Sarah Meyer
Betsy Miller
Matthew E. Milliken
Andrew Morgan
Liza Morgan
Diane Moy
Esther Muzzillo
Ming Nagel
Tiffany Nam
Emily Nease
Pawan Nelson
Colin M O’Brien
Patricia O’Connor
Tim OConnell
Abigail Olker
Barry Ollman
Chris Olson
David Pardo
Nora and Yale Passamaneck
Jo Ann and Sam Pegues
Judith and David Peters
Katelyn Pruett
Kurt and Susan Reisser
Eliza Ross
Laura Roth
Martha Rowley
Ilana Rubin
Patrick Sandvig
Judy Schultz
Kathryn Seitz
Irene Shepard
Hanna Skuladottir
Lisa and Richard Smith
Annie Sovcik
Jessica and Steven Sushinsky
Amberle Suski
Peter Thulson
Alissa Trumbull
Helen Tuttle
Daniel Urban
Thomas Vani
Mary-Elizabeth Waldrep
Nicole Walters
Ellen Wells
Paul Wetzel
Douglas Wheeler
Jennifer Willard
Elisha Wilson
Jacqueline Winter
Brenna Wood
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick and Selena Wright
Alan Zimmerman
Perennial Roots
Sean and Angela Choi
Ellen Reath and Craig Maginness
Tom and Kris Stoever
Community Partners
Bender West Foundation
Bethany Lutheran Church
City and County of Denver
Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger
Colorado Housing & Finance Authority
Holman Enterprises
I.A. O’Shaughnessy Foundation
Liberty Global, Inc.
PDC Energy
Saint John’s Episcopal Cathedral
Schlessman Family Foundation
Singer Family Foundation
The Anschutz Foundation
The Thomas Bean Foundation
TIAA
Trinity Second Century Foundation
Financials & Board
Revenue
- Donated Food and Services: $8,220,294
- Individuals: $4,160,121
- Government grants and contracts: $1,364,264
- Foundations: $630,275
- Businesses: $201,408
- Faith Communities: $105,946
Total Contributions: $14,682,308
Investment Income: $308,540
Total Support & Revenue: $14,990,848
Expenses
- Program Activities: $11,744,550
- Administrative: $1,732,983
- Fundraising: $524,837
Total Expenses: $14,002,370
Total net assets FY24: $10,194,975
Increase in net assets from FY23: $988,478
Board of Directors
Nicole Lang, Co-Chair
Senior Communications & Brand Manager
Stantec
Sarae Bay, Co-Chair
Vice President
GoWest Foundation
Deborah Price, Past Chair
Retired President & CFO
Thermoflex Corp.
Ría Ramirez, Secretary
Innovative Chef
Good Food Good Living
Shelley Hook, Treasurer
Retired Controller
Bethany Lutheran Church
Angèle Fauchier, PhD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Danette Hollowell
Food Entrepreneur
Metro Denver Community Leader
Donna “Dee” Curlin
Registered Physchotherapist/Legal Mediator/Life Coach
Case Manager/Social Worker, Samaritan House
Owner, Sistergirlfoundation
Erik Hicks
CEO-Integrator
Metro Caring
Jamen Tyler
Corporate Counsel
Skillsoft
Matt White
Manager, Portfolio Management
Western Union
Teva Sienicki
CEO-Visionary
Metro Caring
Thomas Stoever
Partner
Arnold & Porter