Prior to the COVID pandemic, Rotary Club of Broomfield Crossing had adopted the oatmeal shelf in our marketplace. With the pandemic, they stopped holding in-person meetings and were unable to collect the oatmeal donations. One of their members, Jeff Taylor, came up with the idea to purchase oatmeal in 50lb sacks and repackage it into family portions at their offsite facility to deliver to FISH. They continued to do this each month, eventually adding pinto beans to the repackaging efforts thanks to the contributions of Rotary Club members. In 2021, they approached FISH about repackaging other bulk items that we purchase. They continued to do this each week through 2021 and into early 2022. 

 

With funds from the Broomfield Crossing Rotary Foundation, the Broomfield Evening Rotary Club, and the Westminster Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Broomfield Crossing applied for and received a District Grant to expand their bulk-food repackaging efforts. With this collective $14,000, they were able to start purchasing detergent, white flour, rice, sugar, salt, and corn flour to add to the oatmeal and beans they were repackaging. Members of the Rotary Club and others gather at the iPIE commissary kitchen in Louisville each week to repackage 600lbs of these bulk items for Broomfield FISH. They work with our Food Operations Manager, Mike Lutz, so that they can offer the most-needed items. Since May 2022, they have repackaged more than 23,000 pounds of bulk product totaling almost $13,000 worth of food and personal care items. This includes the items provided by the club as well as by the District Grant.

 

The District Grant will continue through April 2023, when they anticipate applying for an additional grant to extend the program. In addition to the product purchased, Broomfield Crossing Rotary Club, along with help from a local P.E.O. Chapter, have put in an estimated over 1,500 hours of volunteer service toward the goals of this project.

 

In this season of giving, anyone who would like to help feed our community through this project may donate funds to the Broomfield Crossing Rotary Foundation. In addition, for each $50, you can receive a gift card representing a donation of a 50-pound bag of oatmeal or beans in honor of a loved one. Contact Gary McKee at toptrack@msn.comfor more information.