GCFP
In the News

The Gunnison Country Food Pantry asked the City of Gunnison to endorse and advocate for the renovation of the organization’s new facility — a move that will allow the organization to continue combating food insecurity in the Gunnison Valley.

The Gunnison County Commissioners gave a nod of approval for the Gunnison Country Food Pantry’s Food for Life expansion project, chipping in a grant of $30,000 to help finance the pantry’s purchase and renovation of its future facility at 405 W. Tomichi, site of the former Colorado Fitness gym.

The Crested Butte town council unanimously approved a $50,000 contribution for the Gunnison Country Food Pantry.  The money will be spent on the pantry’s recently purchase building and renovation. 

The Gunnison Country Food Pantry held its Pantry Palooza on June 5th at the I Bar Ranch to raise funds to provide food assistance in the Gunnison Valley.

After a long history in the valley, Young at Heart, a volunteer organization serving Gunnison seniors since 1963, has disbanded. The Gunnison Senior Center, part of the Gunnison Parks and Recreation Department, has taken over the group’s former functions.

Gunnison Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Janine Garnes presented checks totaling $5,500 to the Gunnison Country Food Pantry. The gift was made possible through the Beacon Grant and the Spotlight Grant, which are funded by the Elks’ National Foundation.

Community members attended a sneak peek on Feb. 19 of the building Gunnison Country Food Pantry has acquired to serve as the future pantry. Pictured, GCFP Vice President Katie Dix explains to donor Bob Wojtko plans, costs and a timeline for renovation of the facility.

Since opening in 2006, the food pantry has become a trusted and vital, if not entirely known part of the local ecosystem where people can show up for help to bridge a gap between seasonal work, when going through a hard time or simply looking for a way to help others. The pantry is now preparing to move into a larger space and plans to expand its ability to meet basic human needs in the Gunnison Valley. 

Boy Scout Troop 476 delivered 485 pounds of food to the Gunnison Country Food Pantry during their holiday community service. The scouts extend special thanks to Ace Hardware for the bags and to the community households that helped fill them. Standing in the back row are Jonathan Robinson, Spencer Hays, Kade Jones, Jonny Pierce and Scout Master Josh Pierce. In the front are Margaret Cranor, Lincoln Hemmert, Katie Dix, and Ethan Pierce.

The first time I wandered into the Gunnison Country Food Pantry on Ohio and Main, I felt like an imposter. I was in graduate school at Western Colorado University and working part-time.

Moving to Gunnison by myself and not knowing anyone meant some safety nets had dissolved for me. It had always been my dream to live in Colorado. I had too much pride in that decision to call back home and admit I only had canned green beans and rice in my pantry.

Jarrett first came to the Gunnison Valley about 20 years ago. “In the beginning, I made snow up at Crested Butte during the winter and did ranch work in the summer,” he shared. He loved working outside, but found it difficult to live off the low wages, especially during the shoulder seasons. “Unfortunately for me, the Pantry didn’t open until 2006.”

Katie Dix reflects about the past year in a special essay for Crested Butte News. If grocery store shelves were emptying due to the pandemic, would the flow of surplus food from our local stores and distributors decrease?  What to do? What to do?