DENVER (KDVR) — As SNAP benefits delays continue, the Denver Public Schools Foundation is delivering grocery gift cards and pantry supplies to schools, hubs and pantries working to fill the gap through the district’s Food Security Fund.
“For more than 30 years, Denver Public Schools Foundation has existed to support students. We support students, educators, and families in a variety of ways. We want to ensure that students are graduating ready to lead a successful life,” said Ashley Muramoto, vice president of Marketing and Communications for Denver Public Schools Foundation.
She says that includes a renewed focus on the Food Security Fund, relaunched as food requests soar with delayed SNAP benefits.
“Our families need support now more than ever but with the SNAP benefits delays and disbursement, we know that there are families lining up needing more and more of that food access support,” said Ashley.
The foundation’s all-hands-on-deck effort means some schools get help within hours of asking.
“We are going out to the Walmart, King Soopers, wherever the schools request and getting those gift cards,” said Ashley. “Then, bringing them to the school that same day.
So far, the foundation has met every request to help. It’s already distributed $75,000 in grocery gift cards and supplies to DPS hubs and school pantries, but only a handful of schools have received full funding.
Ashley said, “We’ve only been able to give out 100% of those requests to seven schools. So, we’re hoping to continue the fundraising because we want to be able to give every single school the full funds that they’ve asked for.”
The foundation has already received more than $200,000 in requests and only a fraction of schools are fully funded.
You can help their mission by visiting the foundation’s website.
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