By Pepper, Volunteer and Donor Relations Assistant, Loveland No-Cost Market
As we work to end the stigma surrounding food insecurity, it is important to learn and understand that food insecurity affects people of all ages, backgrounds, and socio-economic statuses. It is also important to recognize that due to a number of complex issues, people with disabilities face a significantly higher risk of experiencing food insecurity.
National rates estimate that 13% of the U.S. population is considered food insecure, while rates of food insecurity are around 30% for people with disabilities. Many barriers exist for people with disabilities that make accessing nutritious foods extremely difficult such as challenges to gain employment and wage gaps, transportation, and having a higher cost of living.
Gaining access to employment can be a challenge for anyone, and people with disabilities face unique hurdles. Here at the Food Bank, we provide unique opportunities for people to gain work life skills through our volunteer opportunities addressing food insecurity at its root.
Currently, the Food Bank for Larimer County works with over 10 different groups to provide volunteer experience to people with disabilities. We are extremely grateful for AbleLight, Persons in Progress, Special Heroes, Integrated Life Choices, CHILL, Community Connections, Cooper Home, FRHS World of Work, Our House, Fort Collins ACE, and more. All organizations that have dedicated hundreds of hours of service with us! Without the partnerships from these groups and individuals, we would not be able to fulfill our mission – Thank you for your valuable impact on our community!
Over the past two years, I have personally had the opportunity to work alongside some of our incredible groups and I’ve watched volunteers grow in so many ways. From learning customer service skills, gaining independence, becoming more confident, all while having pride in the work they do. Having volunteers come back and share the skills they learned from volunteering helped them get a job makes me feel incredibly proud. It is so rewarding to know that volunteering can also be a pathway to employment opportunities!
This would not be possible without our incredibly welcoming and kind staff who always go out of their way to check in with our groups and build meaningful relationships with volunteers. As a team, we always find innovative ways to help our volunteers help our community. We meet people where they are and come alongside our volunteers to accommodate and support them the best we can.
Building meaningful relationships is a key step to reaching people where they are. When we see people for who they are, build up their strengths and help them grow in new ways, we are not only helping those individuals, but we are also building a stronger community together.
When we do this, we can start to break down barriers and reach our vision for a hunger-free Larimer County.
Author Bio: Pepper is the first person a volunteer sees when they enter our Loveland Food Share and no-cost market. She helps with volunteer check-in and onboards new volunteers, ensuring everyone is welcome in our space. She also assists with volunteer schedules, collecting donations brought to our Loveland Food Share location, gives tours to donors while sharing the great impact made through food and monetary donations. Pepper contributes to the overall volunteer training as well as the day-to-day volunteer needs at our Loveland Food Share. Pepper is happy to answer any volunteer related questions!
Sources:
Health, Disability and Food Insecurity (2020). Feeding America.
Ives-Rublee, M. (2021). Alleviating Food Insecurity in the Disabled Community. American Progress.
Rabbitt, M. P., Hales, L. J., Reed-Jones, M. (2025). Food Security Status of U.S. Households in 2023. Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Reed-Jones, M. (2023). Prevalence of food insecurity differs by disability status in 2023. Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
