Arapahoe County food insecurity fuels free pantry
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Aleea Eick and her Little Food Pantry, in Englewood. Photo: Robert Sanchez/Axios
Aleea Eick saw her Englewood neighbors rally last year when a government shutdown disrupted SNAP benefits and left families scrambling for groceries.
The big picture: The experience inspired the 31-year-old actuary to launch a Little Free Pantry where anyone can grab food when they need it.
Why it matters: Food insecurity is rising across Arapahoe County as high living costs squeeze household budgets and federal food assistance faces uncertainty.
By the numbers: Feeding America's latest "Map the Meal Gap" estimates 80,080 Arapahoe County residents experienced food insecurity in 2024, up from 58,220 in 2020.
- The rate jumped from 9% to 12.1%.
- And the annual food budget shortfall climbed to nearly $60 million, from $33.7 million.
Zoom in: Feeding America estimates roughly 41,600 food-insecure Arapahoe County residents earn too much to quality for SNAP.
Flashback: Eick saw that gap during the shutdown, when she joined a neighbor's effort to connect people who lost SNAP benefits with residents willing to buy groceries or gift cards.
- It showed her how close hunger hit to home — and how neighbors could bridge the gap.
How it works: Eick won roughly $1,300 this spring through Englewood's Neighborhood Improvement Grant program to create the pantry in Romans Park — north of Hampden Avenue and about a half-mile from South University Boulevard.
- The city installed a roughly-6-foot-by-5-foot yellow metal box near some picnic tables this summer.
Between the lines: Arapahoe County is part of a statewide trend. Colorado's food insecurity rate jumped from 8.3% in 2020 to 13.3% in 2004, the report shows.
- About 791,000 people statewide went without access to adequate food.
Reality check: The state would need to spend $570.5 million to adequately address the problem.
What they're saying: Eick doesn't expect her pantry to solve hunger.
- But she hopes it can make someone's tough day a little easier.
"This whole thing is opening my eyes to how prevalent food insecurity is, and how close to home it really is," she tells Axios.
On a recent weekday, the pantry had cans of chickpeas, tuna, soup and cereal. Eick added taco shells, ready-to-heat ramen, oatmeal and microwavable rice meals.
And she's seeing encouraging signs.
- Instant oatmeal and pancake mix disappear regularly.
- "That's someone who's making a meal," and not just grabbing a snack.
- "People I've probably never met are helping people they've never met — and that means a lot."
What's next: An elementary school student plans to paint a design on the pantry. Eick wants to add shelves and a cooler for bottled water.