As we come to a conclusion of another year operating our weekly grocery delivery program at Rocky Mountain Mutual Aid (RMMAN), we are deeply thankful to every individual that has helped increase food access in our community. We could not do it without all of our caring and dedicated volunteers and we are excited to continue growing this organization.

In 2023, we had the support of more than 50 dedicated volunteers pitching in by delivering grocery boxes, sharing our social media posts, plotting routes, coordinating volunteers (both on-site and remotely) and working in solidarity with folks in need of better access to food. With rising inflation, the ongoing pandemic, and widespread income inequality, we have found this work to be as vital as ever. 

By the end of this year, Rocky Mountain Mutual Aid will have delivered to nearly 900 homes in the Denver metro area, with over 3000 individuals receiving free and fresh groceries. We are especially grateful to grocery provider, Joy’s Kitchen, who continue to provide us with boxes of food each week, despite increased demand at their food rescue this year. We also want to send a huge thank you to our donors this year, whose generous funds have also sustained this work. 

An exciting development in the last year was being awarded a Food Pantry Assistance Grant, which allowed us to experiment with operating a second distribution site in the first half of 2023. In addition to our ongoing partnership with Joy’s Kitchen, we were able to add another distribution point for our volunteers, as well as deliver an additional 10 boxes per week by purchasing boxes of locally grown and produced food from East Denver Food Hub. The grant and partnership allowed us to expand our delivery area to include more addresses on the east side of Denver and Aurora. It was especially lovely being able to provide 100%  fresh, local food grown here in Colorado!

Recently we have started a recruiting campaign for more organizers and leadership so this work can continue to grow and reach more people. For most of 2023, we have operated as a 4-person organization and we are hoping to bring on more people to help RMMAN have an even larger impact in the coming year. 

We recently had a couple of successful volunteer orientations and we’re looking forward to what’s to come in 2024! If you are interested in joining RMMAN in an organizing capacity, please reach out! Some of the areas we need more help with are:

Considering this project began in the spring of 2020 as a temporary measure to support folks who could not easily or safely access groceries, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are heartened by the ongoing support of our wider community that has sustained this mutual aid work since then. Every phone call, every delivery, every conversation, and every box of food and every dollar shared has meant that more people in our communities have had better access to the food they need. Let’s keep building and growing together. Contact us at [email protected] to get involved. 

Here’s to expanding our mutual aid and solidarity networks in 2024!

Image ID: Cat, one of our very dedicated, long-term volunteers picking up food boxes at Joy’s Kitchen.