Mile High United Way (MHUW) recently granted $290,000 to food banks across Denver that are strapped for resources in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The grants will be distributed across 19 organizations serving communities of color in several low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, areas Denver’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) identified as having the greatest need.

“Recognizing specific community needs and marshalling resources to meet them is a key function of our Emergency Operations Center,” Mayor Michael Hancock said in a statement. “We’re grateful to Mile High United Way for answering the call for assistance and providing a rapid response to keeping food on the table for residents in need during this critical time.”

After Hancock issued Denver’s stay-at-home order in March, numerous food assistance organizations in underserved neighborhoods were having to cut back services, so the EOC and MHUW collaborated with Hancock’s Office of Social Equity, among other partners, to identify which groups needed the most help.

Those organizations are as followed:

• Anchor of Hope
• Bondadosa
• Brother Jeff’s Cultural Café
• Colorado Health Network
• Denver Food Rescue
• Denver Indian Center
• Denver Inner City Parish
• Denver South High School
• Focus Points
• Lost City
• Metro Caring
• Project Worthmore
• Re:Vision
• Restaurant Response Network
• Same Café
• Street Fraternity
• Struggle of Love
• Sun Valley Kitchen
• The GrowHaus

“We are grateful for the partnership with Denver’s Emergency Operations Center and other community agencies that were able to quickly come together and assist our team in identifying where our Rapid Response Funds would have the greatest impact,” Christine Benero, president and CEO of MHUW, said in a statement. “MHUW will continue to identify ways in which we can support our community through this unprecedented time, and it is collaborations like these that will assist us in making the greatest impact.”