Our Story
Our story started thanks to one individual’s selfless mission and has turned into over 40 years of fighting hunger in Larimer County.
In that time, Food Bank for Larimer County has been supported by thousands of volunteers, hundreds of partners and an unimaginable number community members.
Thanks to the community’s endless support, we have been able to rescue and distribute millions of pounds of food, ensuring that hundreds of thousands of individuals and families around us have easy access to food and other essentials.
Take a look at how it all started and how we ended up where we are today. The fight continues, but we believe that together, we can End Hunger Here.

In 1983, VISTA volunteer, Sandy Bowden conducted a survey and verified the need for an efficient, centralized food collection and distribution resource that would avoid duplication of effort. She looked around the state to learn how other communities were serving the food needs of low-income individuals and determined that Larimer County needed a Food Bank.

During the first month of operation, Sandy and her volunteers were proud to provide 3,800 pounds of food to individuals and families in need. In those days, food came primarily from rotating food drives between different houses of worship. In the first 12 months, the Food Bank distributed 56,836 pounds of food.
Making an immediate impact, Wendie's first accomplishment was the installation of a new, larger-scale freezer.

Amy was the agency relations director and executive director for the Ozarks Harvest Food Bank in Springfield, MO.
With a focus on providing free, nutritious meals to children, Kids Cafe ensured no child goes hungry
The expansion comes after the Food Bank sees more than double the number of Loveland residents in need of services — from 489 Loveland visits in 2002 to 1,051 visits in 2006.
A $2.1 million capital campaign to purchase a permanent facility for the Loveland Food Share



The Nappie Project was created by volunteer Jan Touslee and helped supply families with free diapers and wipes to ensure that not only food is accessible, but so are other essentials.



Thanks to a $50,000 grant from Northern Colorado UNIFY, Food Bank for Larimer County was able to expand it's outreach to children in Larimer county.



Cooking Matters was introduced to assist individuals and families in our community to help budget their groceries and make the most out of their shopping by learning helpful cooking skills and receipes.
COVID may have made things difficult, but we persevered. Food Bank for Larimer County established drive-through distribution, had a large increase in volunteers and we had the opportunity to grow through innovative partnerships like Veg Out.



In 1983, VISTA volunteer, Sandy Bowden conducted a survey and verified the need for an efficient, centralized food collection and distribution resource that would avoid duplication of effort. She looked around the state to learn how other communities were serving the food needs of low-income individuals and determined that Larimer County needed a Food Bank.

During the first month of operation, Sandy and her volunteers were proud to provide 3,800 pounds of food to individuals and families in need. In those days, food came primarily from rotating food drives between different houses of worship. In the first 12 months, the Food Bank distributed 56,836 pounds of food.
Making an immediate impact, Wendie's first accomplishment was the installation of a new, larger-scale freezer.

Amy was the agency relations director and executive director for the Ozarks Harvest Food Bank in Springfield, MO.
With a focus on providing free, nutritious meals to children, Kids Cafe ensured no child goes hungry
The expansion comes after the Food Bank sees more than double the number of Loveland residents in need of services — from 489 Loveland visits in 2002 to 1,051 visits in 2006.
A $2.1 million capital campaign to purchase a permanent facility for the Loveland Food Share



The Nappie Project was created by volunteer Jan Touslee and helped supply families with free diapers and wipes to ensure that not only food is accessible, but so are other essentials.



Thanks to a $50,000 grant from Northern Colorado UNIFY, Food Bank for Larimer County was able to expand it's outreach to children in Larimer county.



Cooking Matters was introduced to assist individuals and families in our community to help budget their groceries and make the most out of their shopping by learning helpful cooking skills and receipes.
COVID may have made things difficult, but we persevered. Food Bank for Larimer County established drive-through distribution, had a large increase in volunteers and we had the opportunity to grow through innovative partnerships like Veg Out.


