CEO Amy Pezzani celebrates 20th year with Food Bank for Larimer County

LOVELAND, Colo. — July 6, 2024 — CEO Amy Pezzani celebrates her 20th anniversary this month in leading the Food Bank for Larimer County and an even longer legacy in fighting hunger.

Amy started as the Food Bank for Larimer County’s executive director on July 6, 2004, and brought a wealth of leadership experience in food banking having formerly served as the director of the Ozarks Harvest Food Bank in Springfield, Missouri.

With a vision for change, Amy’s ground-breaking practices, true leadership, and unwavering support for those the Food Bank serves have paved the way for transformation, positioning the Food Bank for Larimer County as one of the top human services organizations in the county.

“When I first stepped into the world of food banking, I inherited a system that operated based on providing any food available to those in need without much consideration for its nutritional value,” she said. “It became evident that simply filling empty stomachs with any available food wasn’t enough; we needed to ensure the food we provided was nourishing and conducive to long-term health.”

Of the food distributed by the Food Bank today, 40% is made up of fruits and vegetables.

Crucial to making sure people would have access to more nutritious food was the inception of the Fort Collins Fresh Food Share. This no-cost market has empowered clients to choose the food they want, including being able to select from a variety of produce. Responding to a growing need in the Loveland community, Amy opened a second no-cost market, the Loveland Fresh Food Share, in 2006.

The Fresh Food Shares now make up part of the Food Bank’s expansive programs to fight hunger. Besides the no-cost markets, the Food Bank has more than 120 agency partners that it provides food to, expanding outreach to rural and mountain communities. The Food Bank also teaches good nutrition and budgeting practices through Cooking Matters courses and offers an outreach support team to help people navigate and get signed up for SNAP benefits. Out of its Nutritious Kitchen, the team also partners with Volunteers of America to distribute meals to seniors.

Thinking back on his years working with Amy, Board of Directors Chair Mark Driscoll said that when the coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020, he saw her go “a thousand miles an hour” to prepare and adapt to ever-changing policy. Her ability to guide the Food Bank’s no-cost markets to curbside pick up in a matter of days allowed clients to continue to safely get food during that time.

“I have many favorite memories of Amy, but that one was my favorite because she was a true genuine successful leader,” Mark said.

When Sandy Bowden first started operating the Food Bank in 1984, she knew that a hunger-free Larimer County could not be achieved without the participation of her community. As CEO, Amy has embodied this. At every level, she continues to engage and inspire stakeholders, whether they’re a volunteer, donor, staff member, client, or community member. By involving the community in these initiatives, she ensures the solutions offered are both relevant and effective, fostering a sense of ownership and inclusivity.

With an eye on continuing to grow the Food Bank’s operations to better and more equitably address the complexities of food insecurity, Amy’s leadership continues to give the Food Bank the ability to keep pace with demand at a time when need for services is continuing to rise.

Board of Directors Secretary Rollin Goering said he’s grateful for the way Amy has led the Food Bank throughout her tenure.  “She is wonderful,” Goering said. “The people of our community would not be fed the way that they’ve been fed over the last 20 years without her.”

Food Bank for Larimer County Web Search

Important Food Recall Notice

Feeding America issued notice of an urgent product recall of a variety of Albertsons Companies/Supplier products Oct. 3.

The Food Bank has isolated and disposed of these products and made all Food Bank partners aware of the situation. Anyone who may have received these products is asked to dispose of them.

UPDATE: We are currently providing support to our partner agencies. Hygiene items are the most requested, including diapers, period products, toothbrushes and toothpaste. Visit any of our locations to donate food or supplies.

The Food Bank for Larimer County is carefully monitoring the status of the Alexander Mountain Fire. 

If you or someone you know needs food, please know that the Food Bank’s no-cost markets are available as a resource.

Locations and hours:

Loveland Fresh Food Share, 2600 N. Lincoln St., in Loveland

Fort Collins Fresh Food Share, 1301 Blue Spruce Dr., Fort Collins

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday

Plan ahead for our altered schedule during the week of Christmas:

The Food Bank for Larimer County Fresh Food Share No-cost Markets and administrative will be closed Thursday, July 4 

This affects Food Bank locations.

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El banco de alimentos para el condado de Larimer Fresh Food Share sin costo Los mercados y la administración estarán cerrados el jueves 4 de julio.

Esto afecta las ubicaciones de los Bancos de Alimentos.

ROAD CLOSURES WILL IMPACT EASY ACCESS TO FORT COLLINS FOOD SHARE: 

A full closure of northbound College Ave. in Fort Collins will affect easy/regular access to our Food Share location at 1301 Blue Spruce from April 15 – 19. Plan accordingly. 

PLEASE NOTE: The Loveland Fresh Food Share has closed early Saturday, Feb. 24. It will re-open during regular business hours Tuesday. 

FOOD BANK CLOSURE:

The Food Bank Food Share location at both Fort Collins (Blue Spruce) and Loveland (Lincoln Ave.) are closed Saturday, April 6.

Administrative Offices at Wright Drive in Loveland are closed Friday, April 5. 

CIERRE DEL BANCO DE ALIMENTOS:

Las ubicaciones de Food Share del Banco de Alimentos en Fort Collins (Blue Spruce) y Loveland (Lincoln Ave.) estarán cerradas el sábado 6 de abril.

Las oficinas administrativas en Wright Drive en Loveland estarán cerradas el viernes 5 de abril.

Due to inclement weather, the Food Bank’s office and Fresh Food Shares will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 16.
Normal business hours will resume at all locations Wednesday.
Please stay warm! 
 
Debido a las inclemencias del tiempo, la oficina del Banco de Comida y Fresh Food Shares estarán cerradas el martes 16 de enero.
 
El horario comercial normal se reanudará en todas las ubicaciones el miércoles.
 
¡Manténgase abrigado!

Due to winter holidays, please observe the changes in our regular schedule listed below:

 

Dec. 23-26: Food Share Pantries & Administrative Offices CLOSED

Dec. 27-29: OPEN Regular Hours

Dec. 30 – Jan. 1: Food Share Pantries & Administrative Offices CLOSED

Jan. 2: OPEN – Resume Regular Hours

 

We are different together.

At FBLC we are not all the same. And that is our greatest strength. We draw from our differences of who we are, what we have experienced, and how we think. We cultivate a dynamic and diverse work environment, one that plays a critical role in our ambitious work to end hunger, so we believe in including everyone.

FBLC is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws and ordinances in the provisions of its programs, services, or activities to include discrimination against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in a discrimination investigation or lawsuit.

FBLC’s management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities, and programs and general treatment during employment.

We embrace a philosophy that recognizes and values diversity.

Our goal is to attract, develop, retain, and promote a talented diverse workforce in a culture where all employees will contribute to their fullest potential.

FBLC endeavors to make our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact our Human Resources team at hr@foodbanklarimer.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

Thinking about applying and feel you may not meet all of our qualifications?

If you believe you can shine in one of our roles, we encourage you to apply!

Be aware of altered Food Share hours during the week of
Thanksgiving:

Monday, November 20 | OPEN | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Tuesday, November 21 | OPEN | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Wednesday, November 22 | OPEN | noon – 3:00 pm
Thursday, November 23 | CLOSED
Friday, November 24 | CLOSED
Saturday, November 25 | CLOSED
Sunday, November 26 | CLOSED
Monday, November 27 | CLOSED – Regular schedule resumes

If there is a government shutdown...

The most important thing for you to know, is the Food Bank for Larimer County IS NOT A GOVERNMENT AGENCY. No matter what happens, we will remain open and available to support you. 

There will be other changes you’ll need to know about.  Click here to learn more. 

Si hay un cierre del gobierno...

Lo más importante que debe saber es que el Banco de Comida del Condado de Larimer NO ES UNA AGENCIA GOBERNAMENTAL. Pase lo que pase, permaneceremos abiertos y disponibles para apoyarlos.

Habrá otros cambios que necesitarás conocer. Clic aquí para saber más.

The Food Bank for Larimer County’s no-cost markets will be closed Saturday, Aug. 31. 

Our Administrative Office will be closed Monday, September 2.

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El Banco de Comida estará cerrado sábado, 31 de agosto y lunes, 2 de septiembre.

Food Bank for Larimer County is closed Wednesday, August 23, 2023.


Banco de comida ester estará cerrado el miércoles, 23 de agosto de 2023.